Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor; Olufolake AbdulRazaq, Kwara first lady, and Ishaq Salako, minister of state for environment, will lead other policymakers, and business leaders like Akintunde Oyebode, Ekiti State commissioner for finance and economic development and Mohamad Darwish, CEO of IHS Nigeria, to mobilise finance for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at 2023 Sustainability Table Discourse Series.
The series, among other things, seek to address key critical policy issues such as decarbonisation strategies, the mobilisation of finance for timely climate action, and the creation of ecosystems that address climate change, environmental, and SDGs-related issues.
Now in its seventh year, the 2023 Sustainability Table Discourse Series (STS) scheduled for Thursday, 2 November, 2023, with the theme ‘Sustainability to Prosperity: Mobilising Finance for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’ is dedicated to advancing the United Nations SDGs and driving the transition towards a circular economy.
“We are once again going beyond the rhetoric; the speakers are subject matter experts who will share insights into channeling finance into SDG-related projects. We are not just discussing the critical $10 billion funding gap for the SDGs but we will harness this challenge as an opportunity to attract capital and impact investments into sustainable projects for economic prosperity,” Kayode Olaniyan, convener, Sustainability Table and Principal Consultant, Avantgarde, stated.
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According to him, the discussion is placing a special emphasis on integrating Environment, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) principles into funding strategies, towards maximising the returns on investments.
He stated further that the 2023 STS aim to empower decision-makers with actionable insights, shaping a future where investments lead to impactful change. “We will address policy issues and create a roadmap for global progress, unravel the climate geopolitics, drive decarbonization, mobilise climate finance, and nurture a resilient ecosystem.”
“There is an intensifying urgency to mobilise finance for achieving the SDGs by changing the narrative, telling our sustainability success stories as Nigerians and Africans to the rest of the world,” Olaniyan stated.
He underlined the enormous potential and capacity that Nigeria holds for socio-economic prosperity when aligned with the SDGs. However, speaking on the upcoming launch of his book ‘Not a Tick in the Box’, which is one of the activities at the STS 2023, Olaniyan stated that the book is a compelling journey into the heart of sustainable business practices.
“This transformative body of work challenges individuals, businesses, and stakeholders to go beyond superficial corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts and intentionally integrate sustainability into their core strategies,” he stated.
According to him, sustainability is not a mere checkbox exercise but a profound reorientation towards economic prosperity while upholding environmental and social responsibility. “This book bridges the gap between profit and the planet, urging readers to embrace a transformative journey that harmonizes business success with a better, more responsible, and environmentally conscious future,” Olaniyan stated.
Other speakers expected at the STS 2023 are Kola Aina, founding partner, Ventures Platform; Tariye Gbadegesin, CEO, ARM Harith Infrastructure Investment Limited, and Olumide Lala, CEO, Climate Finance and Investment Accelerator funded by the UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) amongst other stakeholders.
