Nigeria to Save N10 Billion as FG Reduces COP 29 Expenses – Presidency

The Nigerian government has announced cost-saving measures for COP 29, reducing expenses by N10 billion in an effort to manage public funds more efficiently, according to the Presidency.

According to the Federal Government, expenses for the upcoming COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan have been reduced.

On Tuesday, in Abuja, Ajuri Ngelale – the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity briefed journalists. According to him, implementation of this measure will result in savings worth N10 billion during the 11-day event by government.

Ngelale said that when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian federal government delegation attended COP28 in Dubai, UAE last year, there were some concerns raised by Nigerians about the size of the delegation.

Ngelale advocates for reducing official spending to prevent a repeat of the embarrassment that occurred during COP28 in Dubai last November.

As part of the efforts to reduce expenses, the government will cease renting a $500,000 pavilion and instead establish a delegation office within its grounds.

He stated that the National Council on Climate Change will eliminate some of the inefficient systems responsible for generating consultancies and subcontracts related to lighting and other technological resources, as these services can be directly provided by them.

He stated that the reduction will be accomplished by utilizing the climate accountability and transparency portal, both in its provision and implementation.

Although deliberate misinformation was present, we discovered that certain government officials attended the meeting without proper justification – some even arriving with large groups.

His Excellency President Bola Tinubu has approved an audit to comprehensively review the exercise and determine what occurred. The purpose is to ensure that similar incidents do not reoccur in our country.

As a consequence of this, the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action under my leadership and Dr Nkiruka Madukwe’s National Council on Climate Change have conducted an evaluation to determine COP28’s expenditure. Our aim is to ensure that any future spending for COP29 effectively facilitates economic empowerment and development in our nation.

Our audit revealed that, apart from the portal, there were substantial expenses incurred for platforms during COP28 in Dubai which we deemed excessive.

In preparation for COP29, we have decided that the federal government of Nigeria will not feature a showcase pavilion in order to reduce costs. We acknowledge that all outcomes facilitated by such a pavilion can be accomplished through efficient utilization of the delegation office available at the conference complex. Therefore, our focus is on optimizing this resource instead.

By opting for it, we’ve eliminated the need to budget for the nearly $500,000 showcase pavilion from last year’s COP28 at this year’s COP29.

Moreover, the office designated for delegates’ use during bilateral and other meetings previously held in the showcase pavilion will now be substituted with a more cost-effective option. The expenses incurred from this alternative location are estimated to be less than 10% of what would have been spent on continuing operations at the original venue. Nigerians have demanded change, which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is delivering through these measures.

Moreover, we are avoiding extravagant spending on pavilion spaces during this period of economic challenges while also eliminating needless platforms that lead to consultancies and subcontracts for lighting and technological provisions. These services can be supplied directly by the Secretariat of the National Council on Climate Change with significant savings gained from implementing the climate accountability and transparency portal as well as reducing expenditure items identified in COP28’s expense summary. Our efforts have put us in a position to potentially save over N10 billion at COP29, an 11-day event taking place in November,” he announced.