Nigeria’s 422-man delegation to COP28 in Dubai, according to Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris, is appropriate since the nation has the largest economy in Africa and hence has a stake in taking climate action.
The Minister clarified in a statement he personally signed that Nigerian government officials, representatives of the private sector, civil society, the voluntary sector, state governments, the media, multilateral institutions, representatives of marginalised communities, and numerous others are parties to the Convention.
According to him, the Convention of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the premier climate change conference in the world, with over 70,000 participants and delegates from more than 100 nations in attendance this year (COP-28).
According to him, Nigeria is well-represented given our position as the continent’s preeminent autonomous voice and participant in climate action.
“It is crucial to note that the Nigerian delegation at COP-28 is made up of participants who are sponsored by the government (federal and state governments) and those who are not (private companies, NGOs, CSOs, media, academics, etc).
The 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), and Federal Parastatals/Agencies (73), comprise the 422 members of the Federal Government-funded delegation.
The Minister went on to say that Nigeria has a big stake in climate action because it is the most populous and largest country in Africa, has a sizable extractive economy, and is highly vulnerable to climate change. As such, our active and vigorous participation at COP is not unjustified.
According to him, Nigeria is already reaping the rewards of its continued engagement in COP28, which offers a plethora of investment and cooperation opportunities for the many sectors impacted by climate change.
“In order to improve Nigeria’s electricity supply, Germany and Nigeria signed an accelerated performance agreement to expedite the implementation of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).” In front of President Tinubu and Chancellor Scholz, the deal was signed by Ms. Nadja Haakansson, the managing director and senior vice president of Siemens Energy for Africa, and Mr. Kenny Anuwe, the managing director and CEO of FGN Power Company.
“On the fringes of the COP28 climate summit, President Tinubu hosted a high-level meeting with stakeholders and investors on the Nigeria Carbon Market and the Electric Buses Rollout Programme.”
“The Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Dr. Dahiru Salisu, and the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Zacch Adedeji, jointly unveiled the Nigeria Carbon Market Activation Plan with the President.
“The Electric Buses programme is just the start of a long list of creative, eco-friendly, cutting-edge, and sustainable projects in various industries. These projects are all meant to concurrently address issues related to climate change, lower carbon emissions, update infrastructure, and present Nigeria as a desirable location for foreign investment.
The Loss and Damage Fund, which was created during COP-27 in Egypt and fully operationalized during the COP-28 opening plenary in Dubai, is expected to be beneficial to Nigeria. The Fund will support the nations most impacted by climate change by offering significant non-debt finance. Already, contributions of hundreds of millions of dollars have been promised to the Fund.
In order to formalise their engagements, the presidents of the UAE and the US also met. Apart from the bilateral discussions done with other nations and multilateral partners, this is what Idris pointed out.
It should be noted that Nigeria has consistently shown that it is a leader in climate action over the years. It was the first nation in Africa to introduce an Energy Transition Plan, to issue a Sovereign Green Bond, and to enact national climate change laws.
“President Tinubu has made it clear that Africa cannot be forced to give up its main source of income, which is primarily from extractive industries, without the West providing the funding and investment in alternative and clean energy sources. Africa is fighting issues of poverty and security, as well as trying to provide healthcare and education to her people.
“Either in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the G20, or the current COP-28, President Tinubu has been an outspoken advocate for the African continent on the international front since taking office. At these different fora, the President has had the backing of an equally engaged and active Nigerian delegation.
“Therefore, it is imperative to maintain accuracy in the records while guaranteeing Nigerians that President Tinubu and other members of the Federal government delegation are in Dubai for legitimate business, not a party,” the Minister continued.
