Nigeria has registered 1,506 participants for COP31 in Turkey, becoming the world’s third-largest national delegation. However, the National Council on Climate Change says registration does not automatically come with government-funded travel or accommodation.
Nigeria’s large delegation to the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) has renewed questions about the cost of sending representatives to international meetings.
The country registered 1,506 participants for the conference in Antalya, Turkey. Only host country Turkey, with 2,950 participants, and Brazil, with 1,994, have larger delegations.
The figure places Nigeria ahead of China, which registered 1,021 participants, and Indonesia, with 978, according to Carbon Brief’s analysis of the UN registration data.
But who is paying for the Nigerian participants?
Does the government pay for all 1,506 delegates?
No. Registration does not automatically mean that the Federal Government is sponsoring a participant.
The National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), which coordinates Nigeria’s COP31 participation, addresses this directly in its official registration guidelines.
The Council states that successful registration or accreditation does not automatically entitle applicants to travel sponsorship, accommodation or financial support. Such assistance applies only when the NCCC expressly communicates it to an applicant.
This means participants may attend through different funding arrangements. These can include sponsorship by government institutions, state governments, private companies, civil society organisations, academic institutions or personal resources.
However, the Council’s published guidelines do not provide a breakdown showing how many of the 1,506 participants fall under each funding category.
What happened at COP28?
Nigeria faced similar questions in 2023 when it registered 1,411 participants for COP28 in Dubai.
Following public criticism, the Federal Government disclosed that it funded 422 of those participants.
In a statement issued by the Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, the government provided the following breakdown:
- National Council on Climate Change: 32
- Federal Ministry of Environment: 34
- Other ministries: 167
- Presidency: 67
- Office of the Vice-President: 9
- National Assembly: 40
- Federal agencies and parastatals: 73
The remaining participants included representatives of state governments, private companies, NGOs, civil society organisations, the media and academic institutions.
The disclosure showed that Nigeria’s total registered delegation was not the same as the number sponsored by the Federal Government. The Guardian reported the government’s explanation.
What do the COP31 registration figures mean?
Nigeria’s 1,506 participants fall into two accreditation categories. A total of 573 received Party badges, while 933 received Party Overflow badges.
These categories identify participants’ accreditation status. They do not reveal who paid for their flights, accommodation or other expenses.
The distinction matters because the public cannot use the registration figures alone to calculate the government’s spending.
How much is Nigeria spending on COP31?
The available public information does not establish the total amount Nigeria is spending on its COP31 delegation.
The NCCC has explained that registration does not guarantee sponsorship, but it has not published a breakdown of government-funded participants or the total cost of their attendance.
For transparency, the Council should disclose how many participants are sponsored by the Federal Government, state governments and private organisations. It should also publish the public expenditure on flights, accommodation, allowances and other travel costs.
Nigeria’s large presence at COP31 may create opportunities for climate negotiations, partnerships and investment. However, citizens also have a right to know how much public money supports that participation.
Until the government releases the figures, the question of the total taxpayer-funded cost remains unanswered.