Bankole Oloruntoba is the CEO of the Nigeria Climate Innovation Center, a World Bank-backed initiative supporting Nigeria’s green economy. Since its inception, the NCIC has incubated over 60 green ventures and seed-funded 24 with a total of $240,000 USD, partnering with organizations like Coca-Cola Foundation and GIZ. Bankole is also the Honorary Consul to Finland in Lagos and holds degrees from ABU Zaria, Lagos Business School, and Business School Netherlands. He is a social and business tactics engagement specialist with a deep background in entrepreneurship development, business development and innovation management. Bankole started the Abuja startup Ecosystem and has supported the setup of over 15 innovation hubs in Nigeria. As a thought leader in climate-focused startups and entrepreneurship in West Africa, he advises numerous organizations and has been instrumental in developing Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.

Dr. Komlanvi Moglo is a senior climate change expert whom has extensive experience in climate change development projects having worked across the climate change agendas as a project coordinator, a researcher, a consultant, and an advisor. He is currently the Deputy Head of the IDFC climate Facility. Dr. Komlanvi has extensive experience in the governance and management of programmes and instruments related to green economy and climate finance,gained through his involvement in project design, implementation, and evaluation of related programmes, funds, or facilities by bilateral and multilateral organizations (e.g. GCF, GEF, AF). As a deputy focal point of the West African development Bank (BOAD) to the Adaption Fund (AF), he is constantly researchingand mobilizing existing and new resources to support climate finance demand. He is also a BOAD’s focal point to the Climate Technology Centre Network (CTCN-UNIDO) for the WAEMU region. Dr. Komlanvi has country experiences in Africa and in the UK where he obtained his Honour’s degree, Masters and PhD from the University of Derby.

Aliou Diouf is a geographer specialised in environmental and climate change issues. Dr. Diouf has prepared several climate and environment project documents (concept notes, full investment and readiness proposals, project preparation financing networks-PPFs) for the Global Environment Facility-GEF, the Adaptation Fund-AF and the Green Climate Fund-GCCF. It also reviewed for IFAD project proposals for financing by the Adaptation Fund in Cameroon and Liberia. Dr. Diouf conducted the mid-term review of climate and environmental resilience projects in Senegal and is supporting the implementation of climate projects in Senegal and Chad.

Julius Atulinde has nine years of experience in development and climate finance mobilisation and project design in over twenty countries. While at the UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Centre, he has been instrumental in supporting regional capacity-building initiatives for youth and gender, and implementation of the Needs-Based Climate Finance project, a key initiative of the UN Climate Change that supports countries in assessing their climate finance needs and developing collective strategies to address common regional priorities.

Sana Naluwembe is an Innovation Specialist at RCC EAS Africa which is a collaboration centre to support national climate action through capacity-building, technical assistance and strategic networking. At RCC, she works.under the United Nations Global Innovation Hub working closely with cities to understand their challenges and sustainable goals, lead on innovation projects under the RCC and develop a database for innovation gaps in Africa.