The Presidency on Sunday defended the size and spread of Nigeria’s delegation to COP30, saying the climate talks require officials from many ministries and agencies to protect the country’s interests.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Temitope Ajayi, argued that climate negotiations cut across energy, finance, environment, transport, agriculture and security, making a narrow team disadvantageous.
Responding to inquiries by our correspondent, Ajayi said,
“Because of the multidisciplinary and multidimensional nature of the climate subject, you will typically see government officials from different agencies who are representing the government’s interest across different subject-matter areas.
“It is so because the issues being discussed are vast and the government must be represented at every point to advance the Nigerian government’s position.”
Speaking further, Ajayi said most attendees worldwide are non-state actors, whose names are nonetheless counted under their countries of origin.
“A larger majority of attendees at COPs are usually CSOs, activists and private sector players. It is called the Conference of Parties for a reason. Participants are listed against their countries where they registered from.
“If people from Environmental Right Action are attending, for example, and I know a number of friends from climate-focused non-governmental organisations in Brazil, their attendance will be registered against Nigeria because that is their country of origin and where they registered from. Does it mean the government paid for them? They are not sponsored by the government,” he explained.
He said the same applies to prominent Nigerian business leaders who choose to attend the summit.
“ If Dangote, Tony Elumelu or Kola Adesina, for example and other actors in the energy sector are attending COP, does it mean they are part of the government delegation or sponsored by the government?” he asked.
His comments come hours after the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, accused the Tinubu-led government of what he called a “stunning display of misplaced priorities” for sending a 749-member delegation to COP30.
A breakdown of the delegates list shared by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and seen by The PUNCH shows that 749 names carry Nigeria’s party badge across the “Parties” and “Parties overflow” lists, an categorisation that includes civil society, private-sector actors, academics and partners who registered under Nigeria.
However, the number of delegates from government entities was around 423. This includes the Federal Ministry of Environment, NCCC, NESREA, NOSDRA, NiMet, NIHSA, other clearly labelled federal MDAs such as Finance, Trade, Power, Solid Minerals, Agriculture & Food Security, Housing, Water Resources & Sanitation, Marine & Blue Economy, Works/Transport/Aviation), the National Assembly/Presidency/FCTA, state governments, and named regulators/SOEs such as NNPC Ltd, NUPRC, NMDPRA, NPA, NCAA, NRC.
Obi had argued that China, the world’s second-largest economy with a population of over 1.4 billion, sent 789 delegates to the event held in Belém, Brazil.
In a Saturday post on his official X handle titled ‘In Delegations, Nigeria competes well,’ the former Anambra State Governor said,
“Again, in a bitter twist of irony, we thank Nigeria for having the third-largest delegation at COP30, with 749 delegates, similar to China with 789 delegates.
Responding to uproar over Nigeria’s delegate size at the global event, Ajayi said most attendees worldwide are non-state actors, whose names are nonetheless counted under their countries of origin.
Many are recorded as “guests of the nominating entity” or as having “paid relationships/contracts with an affiliate,” indicating private or project funding rather than federal sponsorship.
The aide faulted what he called “shallow commentary” around COP attendance, insisting that Nigeria must show up strongly where decisions on climate finance, carbon markets and energy transition are taken.
“There must be context and nuance to this type of analysis,” he added.
