In a bold call that underscores the rising urgency of climate action, Unity Bank Plc has rallied stakeholders to deepen investment in the green economy, positioning sustainability as a critical driver of economic resilience across Africa.
The lender, alongside leading climate innovation experts, made the appeal during a high-level webinar convened to mark this year’s Earth Day, drawing attention to the escalating cost of climate change and its uneven toll on vulnerable populations.
Themed The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays, the session brought together industry voices to interrogate the human, economic and institutional consequences of environmental degradation, while advancing practical solutions.
In his opening remarks, the Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, warned that climate change has evolved from a distant concern into an immediate and existential threat confronting economies and livelihoods.
He stressed that financial institutions must move beyond rhetoric by embedding sustainability into financing models, supporting enterprises and investing in initiatives that strengthen community resilience.
Coker maintained that the private sector has a decisive role to play in accelerating climate solutions, particularly through innovative financing that supports clean energy and sustainable development.
Providing expert insights, Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder of Instollar, highlighted the disproportionate burden borne by underserved communities, noting that climate impacts are often most severe where adaptive capacity is weakest.
She argued that bridging the inequality gap requires deliberate investment in scalable and accessible clean energy solutions capable of transforming lives at the grassroots.
Also speaking, Oluwatosin Ajide of the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre called for a coordinated and systemic response, stressing that climate change demands alignment across policy, innovation, financing and implementation.
The dialogue further explored opportunities in renewable energy, climate technology and ecosystem financing, with speakers agreeing that innovation and cross-sector collaboration remain central to long-term sustainability.
By convening the engagement, Unity Bank reinforced its commitment to driving sustainability discourse and promoting responsible growth, even as it aligns its broader strategy with environmental stewardship and inclusive economic development.