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.
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 TheWitness over the weekend, the source revealed that the Nigerian delegates consist of both party and party overflow attendees.
The source said:
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 TheWitness that less than half of the delegates will be sponsored by the government.
He said:
Also, Climate Justice Advocate, Olumide Idowu (Mr. Climate), told TheWitness on Monday that the government cannot be responsible for most delegates.
He said:
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.
