By Esther Onyegbula

In a high-level gathering that underscored the growing urgency of sustainable development, British American Tobacco (BAT) Nigeria has called on both public and private sector leaders to embed Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into Nigeria’s economic and industrial blueprint.

The call was made during the EcoNexus 2.0 Green Business Breakfast Meeting, held at the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History in Onikan, Lagos. The event convened influential stakeholders from government, finance, industry, and civil society to galvanize support for ESG-led innovation as a national development strategy.

Delivering the keynote address, Odiri Erewa-Meggison, Director of External Affairs at BAT West and Central Africa, emphasized that ESG is no longer an option but a necessity for sustainable growth. “This is no longer about ticking boxes,” she said. “It’s about building an ecosystem where ESG becomes the foundation of competitive, responsible, and regenerative enterprise in Nigeria.”

Erewa-Meggison used the platform to reaffirm BAT Nigeria’s sustainability milestones, including zero waste-to-landfill operations, water recycling systems, and a target of 100% renewable electricity by 2030, as evidence that profitability and purpose can coexist. She positioned BAT’s ESG Forum, now in its third year, as Nigeria’s leading private-sector platform for ESG collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and action.

A standout initiative of the Forum, the Young Professionals Fellowship (YPF), was highlighted as a crucial pipeline for ESG talent development. The six-month mentorship program is designed to equip young professionals with the skills and leadership required to drive the green economy forward.

Representing the Lagos State Government, Titi Oshodi, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Climate Change and Circular Economy, praised BAT and its partners for leading by example. “We are not just building a climate strategy; we are building a green economy,” she said. “From green bonds to clean cookstoves, our policies are designed to support businesses that dare to lead with purpose.”

Oshodi cited the state’s ₦14.8 billion Green Bond and the 80 Million Clean Cookstove Project as flagship efforts aimed at reducing emissions, creating jobs, and expanding access to clean energy. She described EcoNexus as “the engine room for transformative partnerships” and urged companies to see sustainability as a “new growth frontier.”

In a compelling keynote titled “The Urgency of Now,” Dr. Tunde Lemo, Chairman of Lambeth Capital and former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, made the business case for sustainability. He described carbon as “an emerging asset class,” noting that Nigeria stands to gain billions annually from compliance-grade carbon credits under the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM).

“Projects like the Clean Cookstove initiative are not charity,” Lemo said. “They are climate-smart, finance-backed models that can deliver double-digit returns for investors.” He called on financial institutions to develop climate-specific investment tools, risk guarantees, and sovereign-aligned credit frameworks to unlock the country’s green finance potential.

As discussions rounded off, stakeholders agreed that the integration of ESG must move beyond boardrooms and into policy frameworks, financial markets, and grassroots innovation. The forum ended with renewed commitments from both the public and private sectors to deepen ESG adoption and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a low-carbon, inclusive, and resilient economy.

EcoNexus 2.0, themed “Sustainability as Strategy,” marks another step in BAT Nigeria’s campaign to redefine corporate citizenship and catalyze a unified, multi-sector response to climate change and sustainable development.