CURRENT REPORT BLOG In a statement released on Monday, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed that among the 422 attendees funded by the Nigerian government for the ongoing Climate Summit in Dubai (COP-28), 67 officials are from the Presidency, with others representing the Vice President, ministries, departments, and agencies.
Following significant public criticism, the Nigerian government led by President Bola Tinubu has conceded to financing 422 officials attending the COP-28 Climate Summit in the United Arab Emirates.
According to Minister Mohammed Idris, 67 of these officials are affiliated with the Presidency, while others represent the Vice President, various ministries, departments, and agencies.
In an official statement obtained by CurrentReportBlog, Minister Idris addressed the public discourse, stating, “The Federal Government has taken note of the ongoing public discussion regarding the number of delegates from Nigeria attending the COP-28 Climate Summit in Dubai. In keeping with our commitment to transparency and accessibility in disseminating public information, we find it necessary to provide clarification.
“The Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the premier global Climate Change Conference, attracting over 70,000 participants and delegates from more than 100 countries this year (COP-28).
Nigeria’s representation aligns with our position as Africa’s leading sovereign voice and active participant in climate action.”Delegates from Nigeria include government officials, private sector representatives, civil society members, voluntary sector participants, state governments, media, multilateral institutions, representatives of marginalized communities, and various others.
“It is crucial to highlight that the overall Nigerian delegation at COP-28 comprises both government-sponsored (Federal and State Governments) and non-government-sponsored participants (from private companies, NGOs, CSOs, media, academia, etc).
“The Federal Government-funded delegation consists of a total of 422 individuals, distributed as follows:
National Council on Climate Change = 32
Federal Ministry of Environment = 34
All Ministries = 167
Presidency = 67
Office of the Vice President = 9
National Assembly = 40
Federal Parastatals/Agencies = 73
“As the largest economy and most populous country in Africa, with a substantial extractive economy and considerable vulnerability to climate change, Nigeria has a significant stake in climate action. Therefore, our active and robust participation at COP is well-justified.”
