Innovators, climate leaders to chart path for Africa’s low-carbon future at sustainability series
Nigeria’s sustainability community is set for a major convergence as the Avant-Garde Sustainability Foundation hosts the ninth edition of its flagship Sustainability Table Series (STS) on October 23, 2025, at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island.
Themed “Sustainability in Action: Scaling Impact for a Thriving Future to Achieve the SDGs,” this year’s edition will convene policymakers, corporate executives, climate innovators, and impact investors to explore actionable pathways for accelerating Africa’s transition toward a low-carbon and inclusive economy.
The forum, curated by Labake Ajiboye-Richard, seeks to bridge policy, finance, and technology in scaling sustainable solutions as Nigeria intensifies its push toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and global climate milestones ahead of COP30.
Rachel Moré-Oshodi, chief executive officer of ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investments, will deliver the keynote address on “Scaling Sustainability Impact in Africa,” focusing on how private capital and innovative finance can deepen the continent’s green transformation.
“Our speakers will provide actionable insights, real-world solutions, and policy-driven frameworks to accelerate Africa’s transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future,” said Ajiboye-Richard. “The time for pledges has passed; this is the era of delivery, bold leadership, and collaborative impact at scale.”
The discussions will spotlight four strategic pillars, including policy and technology innovation, financing sustainability, driving the net-zero transition and ESG-driven transformation.
Confirmed speakers include Tokunbo Wahab, Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources; Ayaan Adam, Senior Director at the Africa Finance Corporation; Olamide Fagbuji, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Technology and Operations; and Oluwatoyin Emmanuel-Olubake, Chief Investment Officer at the Catalyst Fund.
A highlight of the event will be the launch of the STS 2024 Monograph, which assesses Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms and their alignment with the SDGs. The report explores growth opportunities in agriculture, MSMEs, manufacturing, and the creative economy, framing them within a sustainability-driven development model.
Since its inception, the Sustainability Table Series has evolved into one of Africa’s foremost platforms for advancing eco-finance, ESG adoption, and circular economy practices. Now in its ninth edition, STS continues to bridge the gap between corporate commitments and on-the-ground climate action, reinforcing Nigeria’s role in shaping the continent’s sustainable development narrative.
Ajiboye-Richard added that the 2025 edition aims to “translate commitments into measurable impact,” emphasising that collaboration between government, business, and civil society remains central to achieving a just, green, and prosperous Africa.
