President Bola Tinubu has authorized a series of measures aimed at saving nearly N10 billion in Nigeria’s participation in the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29), scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 to 22, 2024.
These measures include the establishment of a Climate Accountability and Transparency Portal, designed to enhance efficiency and ensure accountability in the nation’s involvement in the global event.
This announcement was made by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, during a media briefing at the State House on Tuesday, according to a statement released on Tuesday by Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information & Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation
According to Ngelale, the government is taking decisive steps to address the inefficiencies identified in Nigeria’s participation at COP 28 in Dubai, where significant wasteful expenditures were uncovered.
“President Bola Tinubu has authorized the establishment of the Climate Accountability and Transparency Portal and other measures to ensure efficiency and accountability in the nation’s participation in the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, slated for November 11-22, 2024,” the statement read in part.
It added, “He also announced that the government would strictly implement cost saving measures that would save the nation nearly N10 billion during COP 29 relative to expenditures made during COP 28 in Dubai last year.”
Providing further details on the workability of the portal, Ngelale explained that the Climate Accountability and Transparency Portal (CAT-P), developed in collaboration with the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action and the National Council on Climate Change, will allow every Nigerian to verify the number of delegates attending the COP 29 climate conference.
The portal will provide full, real-time access to data about the delegates, including those from federal and state ministries, departments, agencies, and the legislative branch, ensuring transparency about who is attending and who is being sponsored by the government.
“President Bola Tinubu is fully aware of and sensitive to the economic conditions confronting our people, and as a result, he approved an audit of the expenditure profile of last year’s COP 28 climate conference. While there was deliberate misinformation regarding the delegation size, our investigation clearly identified inefficiencies that required immediate remedies.
“The President had approved that the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action in collaboration with the National Council on Climate Change establish the Climate Accountability and Transparency Portal (CAT-P) as a tool for every Nigerian to verify the number of delegates attending COP 29 later this year.
”This will, among other things, ensure that all members of the delegation across ministries, departments and agencies at the federal and state levels, as well as the legislative branch of government, are captured on a transparent portal. Nigerians will have full real-time access to the data concerning who is attending and those the government is sponsoring to COP 29.
An audit of COP 28 expenditures reveals significant waste
The statement further revealed that Ngelale disclosed President Bola Tinubu initiated a comprehensive audit of Nigeria’s expenditures during the COP 28 climate conference in Dubai to address inefficiencies, improve resource management, and gain a clear understanding of what transpired at the event to identify necessary corrective measures.
The audit uncovered significant wasteful spending, including nearly $500,000 on a showcase pavilion, along with several other unnecessary sub-contracts and consultancies. These findings highlighted the need for immediate action to prevent such inefficiencies from recurring.
Ngelale emphasized that the review process was conducted with a focus on ensuring that all future expenditures, particularly for COP 29, are aligned with the economic empowerment and development goals of the nation.
He stated that only those delegates with a clear economic purpose—such as engaging with companies, multilateral partners, and stakeholders to attract finance and opportunities to Nigeria—will be part of the federal government’s delegation to COP 29. Those not directly involved in activities linked to climate engagement or business opportunities will not be included.
To further enhance efficiency, the Nigerian delegation will make use of an on-site delegation office with a time slotting system within the conference complex, which will cost less than 10% of the amount spent on the pavilion the previous year.