Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has received a Green Leadership Award for his administration’s efforts to promote renewable energy, climate action, environmental sustainability and the development of a green economy in the State.
The recognition was presented during the 1st International and 3rd National Women Green Summit and Exhibition 2026, WIGSE-26, organised by the Women in Renewable Energy Association in Lagos.
Adeleke was not physically present at the ceremony. He was represented by the Director-General and Special Envoy to the Governor on Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Professor Chinwe Obuaku-Igwe, who accepted the award on his behalf and delivered a goodwill message from the Governor.
The organisers said the honour was in recognition of the Osun State Government’s efforts to develop and implement policies and programmes designed to address climate change, expand renewable energy access and promote sustainable economic development.
Among the policy frameworks highlighted were the Osun State Climate Action Plan, Renewable Energy Policy, Circular Economy Action Plan and Climate-Smart Investment Portfolio.
The award also recognised practical interventions undertaken by the Adeleke administration in areas including solar energy, recycling, waste management, ecosystem restoration and sustainable transportation.
Some of the initiatives cited include the establishment and operationalisation of a recycling hub, the IMOLE Solar Lantern initiative and the introduction of electric motorcycles as part of efforts to develop cleaner transportation options in the State.
The State Government’s renewable energy agenda has previously been linked to efforts to tackle energy poverty and improve access to clean energy, particularly for communities and young people.
In June 2025, Adeleke’s administration unveiled its Climate-Smart Investment Portfolio at a South-West stakeholders’ roundtable on renewable energy in Osogbo. The portfolio was presented as a roadmap for attracting investment into renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure and the circular economy. The State also presented its draft Renewable Energy Policy and Climate Action Plan at the event.
The IMOLE Solar Lantern Project was another major component of the administration’s clean-energy programme. The initiative was designed to provide solar-powered lighting to children in communities with limited access to reliable electricity, under the “One Child, One Lantern” concept. The State Government later said more than 10,000 solar lanterns had been distributed to rural pupils.
Speaking on behalf of the Governor at the 2026 summit, Obuaku-Igwe said Osun’s climate agenda was designed to go beyond environmental protection and contribute directly to the economic wellbeing of residents.
She explained that climate policies should produce tangible benefits for citizens through employment opportunities, stronger livelihoods, wider energy access and innovation.
According to her, the State’s approach seeks to ensure that the transition towards a green economy creates opportunities for people rather than becoming an environmental policy pursued in isolation from economic development.
Obuaku-Igwe also stressed the importance of women and young people in Africa’s emerging green economy, arguing that they should be positioned as active participants and drivers of the transition.
She identified access to finance, technology, skills, markets and supportive Government policies as important factors that could help women-led businesses take advantage of opportunities in renewable energy and other areas of the green economy.
Her position is consistent with the broader direction of Osun’s climate policy, which has increasingly connected renewable energy with job creation, investment, waste management and inclusive development.
The State Government has previously said its climate programme includes training young people and women in circular economy and waste-to-wealth activities. According to an official State Government account, such programmes have contributed to the emergence of more than 350 green small and medium-sized enterprises.
The Government has also highlighted its recycling initiative as part of its strategy for building a circular economy. The recycling hub, developed with private-sector partners, was designed to increase the recovery and processing of recyclable materials while creating employment opportunities.
Sustainable transportation is another area covered by Osun’s green agenda. The Government has promoted an electric-motorcycle pilot initiative as an alternative to conventional fuel-powered transportation. Officials have linked the project to efforts to reduce urban emissions and lower operating costs for transport workers.
Beyond the current award, Adeleke’s climate initiatives have received other forms of recognition.
In June 2025, the Governor was presented with an Award of Excellence on Climate Action at an international conference organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences of Obafemi Awolowo University. The honour followed discussions around climate action, sustainable livelihoods and environmental transformation in Nigeria.
At that event, Osun’s administration highlighted several components of its climate agenda, including the IMOLE Solar Lantern campaign, ecosystem restoration, school-based green initiatives, the Climate Action Plan, Circular Economy Action Plan, Renewable Energy Development and Regulation Policy and Climate-Smart Investment Portfolio.
The administration also identified its electric-motorcycle pilot programme and efforts towards carbon verification as part of its broader strategy for strengthening the State’s participation in climate finance and the emerging carbon economy.
Obuaku-Igwe, who has played a central role in developing Osun’s climate and renewable energy framework, further called for stronger collaboration between Government, investors, development institutions, researchers and private-sector organisations.
She said partnerships would be necessary to expand existing climate-smart projects and create opportunities for more people, particularly women and young Nigerians.
She also commended the Women in Renewable Energy Association for providing a platform where entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and other stakeholders could discuss ways of accelerating women’s participation in the green economy.
The Osun representative described women as key actors in Africa’s transition to sustainable development, stressing that they should not be viewed merely as beneficiaries of green programmes.
The latest recognition therefore places renewed attention on the Adeleke administration’s attempt to combine environmental policy with economic development.
Rather than treating climate change solely as an environmental issue, Osun’s programme has been structured around renewable energy access, waste management, sustainable transportation, investment mobilisation, employment and community development.
The State Government has also sought to position Osun as a destination for climate-related investment by developing policy frameworks intended to provide direction for renewable energy and circular economy projects.
The Climate-Smart Investment Portfolio, for instance, was introduced as a tool for attracting responsible capital into renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure and the circular economy.
With the Green Leadership Award, the organisers have now added another recognition to the State’s growing profile in climate action and renewable energy.
For the Adeleke administration, the recognition comes as its climate agenda continues to focus on expanding clean-energy access, supporting green enterprises, encouraging sustainable transportation and linking environmental protection with economic opportunity.
The award also reinforces the administration’s stated objective of making climate action relevant to everyday life by connecting environmental sustainability with education, employment, investment, energy access and improved livelihoods across Osun State.