The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said  the Federal Government sponsored 422 delegates to the ongoing COP28 in Dubai, not 1,411.

Idris made the clarification in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

COP28, the Convention of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, is the world’s pre-eminent Climate Change Conference.

The minister said the clarification became necessary because of the public conversation that on the number of delegates from Nigeria attending the ongoing Climate Summit in Dubai.

He explained that the Conference was being attended this year by over 70,000 participants and delegates from over 100 countries.

According to him, Nigeria’s representation is very much in line with our status as Africa’s leading Sovereign voice and player in climate action.

“Parties to this Convention from Nigeria 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.

“It is imperative to point out that the overall Nigerian delegation to COP28 comprises Government-sponsored (Federal and State) and non-government-sponsored participants (from Private Companies, NGOs, CSOs, Media, academia), etc.

“The Federal Government-funded delegation is made up of a total of 422 persons, as follows: 32 persons from National Council on Climate Change and 34 from Federal Ministry of Environment

“Others were 167 delegates from all ministries, 67 from the presidency, 9 from the Office of the Vice President, 40 from National Assembly and 73 from  Federal Parastatals/Agencies,” Idris said.

The Minister further explained that, as the biggest economy and most populous country in Africa, with a substantial extractive economy and extensive vulnerability to climate change, Nigeria had a significant stake in climate action,

“Therefore, our active and robust participation at COP is therefore not unwarranted”. According to the minister, COP28 presents an array of investment and partnership opportunities for the various sectors affected by climate change, and Nigeria is already benefiting from its ongoing participation.