Nigeria’s GDP ranks lower than these 12 countries with fewer COP28 delegates.
This is according to data from Statisense, revealing that Nigeria’s economy ranks lower compared to many countries that sent fewer delegates to COP28.
This data sheds light on Nigeria’s economic challenges, indicating a spending issue. The findings from Statisense provide insights into the economic positions of several countries:
Nigeria sent 1,411 delegates to COP28 while maintaining a $477.37 billion gross domestic product (GDP). Indonesia follows closely with 1,229 delegates, marking a substantial $1.32 trillion in economic size.
Japan took 1,067 delegates boasting a significant $4.24 trillion in economic strength. Turkey has 1,045 delegates, representing an economic volume of $905.84 billion.
India follows with 948 delegates, showcasing an impressive economic worth of $3.39 trillion. France with 800 delegates has a robust $2.78 trillion in economic value.
The USA has 770 delegates with an immense economic scale of $25.46 trillion. Canada with 742, has a $2.14 trillion economy.
Israel has 718 delegates but possesses a considerable economic volume of $525 billion.
The UK with 697 delegates, exhibits a substantial economic scale of $3.08 trillion.
South Korea follows closely with 689 delegates, and showcases an economic value of $1.67 trillion.
Russia secured 590 delegates, showcasing a significant economic worth of $2.24 trillion.
Meanwhile, Italy has 533 delegates boasting an economic scale of $2.01 trillion.
Balancing both sides
The federal government of Nigeria will pay the expenses for 90% of the 1,411 delegates at the conference of parties (COP28). This is according to a source familiar with the matter.
In a conversation with Nairametrics over the weekend, the source revealed that the Nigerian delegates consist of both party and party overflow attendees.
The source said:
- “The government will end up paying the expenses of most of the delegates. This is because most of the delegates are part of the government entourage. Indeed, some of the delegates will sponsor themselves but if you have people travelling to Dubai under the office of a state governor, how are they expected to pay their bills?”
The federal government has also clarified that COP28 attendance is not specific to just government officials, it also includes that of the National Council of Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NSIAs, NGOs and many others, some of whom pay their bills.
Seyifunmi Adebote is currently attending COP28 in Dubai as a delegate. On Monday morning, he told Nairametrics that less than half of the delegates will be sponsored by the government.
He said:
- “Only those in the government circles and officials from state and federal may have secured government funding. To my knowledge, delegates confirm that they can transport and feed themselves before going for COP. The government also does not sponsor the media practitioners.”
Also, Climate Justice Advocate, Olumide Idowu (Mr. Climate), told Nairametrics on Monday that the government cannot be responsible for most delegates.
He said:
- “I am not part of the government but what I know is that the private sector and NGOs got their participant badge through the government, and they are hosting side events at the Nigeria pavilion. If only the government can show the list of side events at the Nigerian pavilion that will help people understand just how many participants are self-funded.”
Note that in-person attendees at COP28 are 97,372. Meanwhile, the first climate COP held in Berlin in 1995 had only 3,969 delegates.
According to Carbon Brief, this year’s COP28 climate summit in the UAE has the highest number of registered delegates ever. Over 97,000 people have badges to attend the conference in Dubai, which is almost twice as many as last year’s COP27 in Egypt.
What’s different this time is that all the delegates have their names on the official participant lists, which hasn’t always been the case in previous COPs. Usually, some extra participants weren’t named on the lists, but this year, every delegate is listed.
Meanwhile, Statisense data places government officials attending COP28 as follows:
Senators: 19 Ministers: 26 Governors: 13 First Ladies (State): 3 House of Rep Members: 8 Chief Executive Officers: 45 State House (Including the Vice President’s Office): 146.
Aside from government officials who will receive daily estacodes between $800 and $900, there are youth delegates, non-governmental organisations and members of the media as well as influencers who are attending the 2-week event.
Note that COP is an annual climate summit convened by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), a climate body of the UN.
Reactions
Professor Jideofor Adibe who was on Channels Television on Sunday, said the number of delegates at COP28 showed the government’s complete lack of compassion for Nigerians.
He said:
- “There is the question of whether there is even compassion for suffering Nigerians because if there is compassion for what is going on in the country at the moment, people (government officials) should also be sensitive to the optics about the whole thing.”
Also, Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi has said that given the country’s economic woes, it was unreasonable to take as many delegates to COP28. In his Twitter post, he wrote:
- “The vast majority of those in the Nigerian delegation to COP28 are either non-relevant civil servants or relations, friends and hangers-ons of high government officials. Most of them hardly understand or have anything to do with Climate Change.”
