COP 28: Presidency Denies Sponsoring 1411 Delegates, Says FG Funded 422 Delegates

Following the outrage that trailed the alleged sponsoring of 1411 delegates to the ongoing COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Federal Government of Nigeria has clarified the controversies saying only 422 persons were sponsored by FG.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the clarification on Monday in a statement.

Clarifying the controversy, the minister said “Nigeria’s representation is very much in line with our status as Africa’s leading Sovereign voice and player in climate action”.

The government said the Nigerian delegation include government officials, representatives from the private sector, civil society, the voluntary sector, state governments, media, multilateral institutions, representatives of marginalised communities, and many others.

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“It is imperative to point out that the overall Nigerian delegation to COP-28 comprises Government-sponsored (Federal and State Governments) and non-government-sponsored participants (from Private Companies, NGOs, CSOs, Media, academia, etc),” the statement partly read.

“The Federal Government-funded delegation is made up of a total of 422 persons, 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.”

The Matrix had reported that President Bola Tinubu had on November 29, 2023, departed Abuja for Dubai for the summit expected to end on December 12, 2023.

Controversy has since surrounded the number of Nigerian delegates at the summit which ranked that of China, with many Nigerians on social media berating the government for being “insensitive” to their economic sufferings occasioned by the removal of petrol subsidy in mid-2023.