Written by Dayo Abinusawa on October 26, 2025
Listening to John Kerry at Chatham House yesterday reinforced an essential truth about leadership. His journey from serving in Vietnam to becoming a global advocate for climate action began with an understanding that the environment is not an abstract theme. It shapes the safety, stability and prospects of communities. That realisation guided him towards policies anchored in people rather than politics.
I was reminded of a similar message shared by the former head of MI6, who observed that service must be for the greater good. Leaders who have carried responsibility at the highest levels tend to place public service at the heart of their mission. This stands in contrast to patterns we see in many parts of the world, including across Africa, where personal priorities can overshadow the broader needs of society.
Kerry’s remarks also highlighted a wider shift that matters greatly for African policymakers and business leaders. Investors are no longer directing capital towards climate projects out of goodwill alone. They are doing so because the financial returns are real and the long-term value is clear. Markets are rewarding firms that align themselves with climate resilience, and those who fail to adapt face increasing risk.
This shift framed the recent webinar hosted by the African Business Trade Association (ABTA), where I serve as Executive Director. Our discussion, Bridging Policy and Action, explored how Africa’s circular economy is developing in practice. A leading financial institution outlined the practical steps they are taking to align investment with environmental and social outcomes. Their approach demonstrates that climate-conscious finance is not just aspirational, it is actionable. By embedding sustainability criteria into lending and investment decisions, they are helping shape projects that benefit communities, protect the environment, and deliver measurable returns. Yet a central challenge emerged: the number of bankable projects remains limited. Many enterprises, despite their commitment to sustainability, struggle to meet the strict criteria required by financiers.
Practical examples from Lagos showed the promise of circular models. Informal workers collecting bottles and cans for recycling are creating income while feeding materials back into the supply chain. Yet most operate at a very small scale. Without targeted support, these initiatives cannot grow into businesses with the capacity to shift local markets or generate long-term economic value. The willingness exists, but the structural foundations are not yet strong enough.
These local realities sit alongside a more global tension. The move to net zero is necessary, but the pathway is neither simple nor straight. Most economies, whether developed or developing, still rely heavily on fossil fuels. Discussions often focus on the goal, not the practical steps that bridge today’s dependence and tomorrow’s ambitions.
The rise of artificial intelligence makes this even more urgent. AI depends on data centres, and data centres require large volumes of reliable energy. If fossil fuel use were to end abruptly, we would face real risks of power shortages at the very moment when technological demand is rising. The same questions are being asked in the UK. Ambitions for net zero are clear, but many wonder whether the transition plan is detailed enough to maintain stability while ensuring sustainable growth.
These issues underline an important point: national priorities will always shape the decisions of policymakers, and these decisions influence the actions of businesses and investors. Yet there are moments when even long-standing differences must be set aside to confront a shared threat. Climate change is that threat. It is already reshaping economies, supply chains and daily life. No country can address it alone.
This is why Africa’s next chapter requires leadership that looks beyond borders and beyond political cycles. Africa cannot remain positioned only as a recipient of climate support. It is a region that can attract investment, build new industries and deliver climate solutions that create both resilience and prosperity. To unlock this, leaders must strengthen policy environments, deepen access to finance and support early-stage ventures that address community needs.
Education and awareness also matter. Circular economy principles and responsible consumption should become familiar concepts from an early age. Long-term behaviour change depends on early exposure, not late instruction.
The thread connecting all these reflections from Chatham House, to our ABTA webinar, to the global energy transition is the nature of leadership. True leadership requires honesty about the scale of the challenge, commitment to communities and the courage to collaborate across divides. The decisions made today will determine whether our societies withstand the pressures ahead or are overtaken by them.
In the words of the former head of MI6, service must be for the greater good. That is the standard we must expect from leaders in this climate-driven era.
