Nigerians react to COP30 delegation
Many Nigerians have criticised the Federal Government over the large number of delegates sent to COP30, despite earlier promises to reduce the size of such delegations. The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) is taking place from November 10–21, 2025, at the Hangar Convention Centre in Belém, Pará State, Brazil. Social media reactions were […]
Many Nigerians have criticised the Federal Government over the large number of delegates sent to COP30, despite earlier promises to reduce the size of such delegations.
The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) is taking place from November 10–21, 2025, at the Hangar Convention Centre in Belém, Pará State, Brazil.
Social media reactions were dominated by frustration, with many Nigerians arguing that the trip appeared driven more by political patronage than by genuine climate advocacy. Critics also said funds spent on such a large delegation could be better used for domestic climate adaptation projects or poverty alleviation.
Among those who condemned the decision to send 749 delegates was the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who described it as another “stunning display of misplaced priorities” by the Tinubu administration.
Obi noted that China — a global economic powerhouse with a much larger population — sent 789 delegates, only slightly more than Nigeria. He shared his views in a post titled “In Delegations, Nigeria competes well” on his verified X handle on Saturday.
He wrote: “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.
“While Nigeria needs to have a strong voice in global climate discussions, this spectacle comes at a heavy cost to our people, with about 150 million living in multidimensional poverty.”
Obi went on to contrast Nigeria’s development indicators with China’s, highlighting differences in GDP, GDP per capita, life expectancy and poverty levels.
He argued that Nigeria’s delegation size was unjustifiable for a country where 63 per cent of citizens live in multidimensional poverty, adding that resources spent on hundreds of officials travelling abroad could instead be channeled into essential social services.
“Our participation on the international stage must reflect responsible leadership,” he wrote, “one that prioritises the needs of our people and demonstrates our genuine capacity for meaningful climate action.”
The Presidency defended the size of the delegation, saying climate negotiations are multidisciplinary and require representation from ministries involved in energy, finance, environment, transport, agriculture and security. Officials also pointed out that many of the attendees were non-state actors—NGOs, private sector players and civil society groups—not funded by the government.
Delegation size has been a recurring point of controversy. At COP28 in Dubai (2023), Nigeria became the subject of public criticism when the UNFCCC list showed 1,411 delegates, a figure the government disputed, arguing that not all were state-sponsored.
Following the backlash, President Bola Tinubu promised to cut future delegation sizes, leading to a reduced number at COP29 in 2024, where Nigeria had 634 delegates, a 55 per cent drop. Despite the reduction, it remained the largest delegation from Africa.