Paper short abstract:

The study assesses government's efforts at exploring the complementary roles of environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in public engagement and education towards climate change responses.

Paper long abstract:

Overwhelming evidence in the literature suggests that while Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) is the least contributor to greenhouse emission, it is also the most vulnerable region to the negative impacts of climate change. This scenario necessitates an ever-increasing need for actors at various spheres of governance to develop appropriate response mechanisms for climate actions. However, the reality across SSA is that limited capacity of actors often undermines the effectiveness of climate change responses (CCR). In effect, there is an important need for the complementary role of non-state actors, notably environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), to enhance appropriate response outcomes. NGOs can serve as appropriate channels for government to extend its public engagement drive; NGOs can also initiate programmes that help augment the efforts of government in CCR. However, questions remain on the extent to which governments explore these potentials of NGOs in public engagement drives relating to climate education and responses. Specifically, what is the nature of public policies including climate change response strategies to facilitate these? How effective are Government-NGO relations in enhancing public education on issues of climate change? In what ways are stakeholders working to address challenges in these areas at the subnational levels in Southwest, Nigeria? In answering these questions, our study draws primarily on interviews with key state and non-state actors in Lagos and Oyo, two environmentally challenged states in Nigeria's southwest zone; these were augmented with relevant policy papers and records directed at advancing knowledge of NGO processes towards climate action and sustainability in Africa.