Baku, Azerbaijan – November 15, 2024 – The Nigerian government has spent an estimated N866 million on flight tickets for its 634-strong delegation to the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. This figure marks a 1.59% decrease from the N880 million spent last year for Nigeria’s delegation to COP28 in Dubai.
BusinessDay’s investigation reveals that the cost was calculated based on international flight rates, with each return ticket for the 214 delegates sponsored by the Nigerian government averaging N4.1 million. The cost of chartering international airlines is consistent with Nigeria’s practice of avoiding local carriers for international conferences, despite the fact that local operators hold the necessary approvals to fly to destinations like Baku.
In 2023, President Bola Tinubu led the largest African delegation to COP28, with 1,411 delegates, making Nigeria the third-largest delegation globally. However, this year, Nigeria reduced its delegation size by 55%, maintaining its position as the African nation with the largest representation at COP29. Uganda follows with 412 delegates.
Estacode and Allowances for Nigerian Delegates
In addition to flight costs, Nigerian delegates receive daily allowances or “estacode” based on their rank. According to the data obtained by BusinessDay, ministers attending COP29 are allocated $900 per day, totaling $11,700 for the duration of the 13-day conference. Permanent secretaries receive $600 per day, amounting to $7,800, while senior officers (levels 15-17) receive $425 per day, totaling $5,525. Officers on levels 7-14 get $381 daily, translating to $4,953, and junior officers (levels 1-6) receive $206 per day, totaling $2,678 for the conference period.
Azerbaijan Leads in Delegation Size, Nigeria in 8th Place
As is typical at COP summits, the host nation, Azerbaijan, has the largest delegation, with 2,229 participants, a significant increase from previous years when Azerbaijan’s delegations averaged just six members. Brazil follows closely with 1,914 delegates, while Turkey (1,892), the UAE (1,011), and China (969) round out the top five. Nigeria, with 634 delegates, ranks 8th, ahead of Japan (595) and Kazakhstan (478).
The overall attendance at COP29 is substantial, with 66,778 delegates attending in person and an additional 3,975 participating virtually, bringing the total number of attendees to 70,753.
Reduction in Other Delegations
Other notable delegations at COP29 include Russia (900), Indonesia (810), the UK (470), the US (405), and Australia (394). Conversely, some countries have drastically reduced their delegations, with the UAE seeing the largest decrease, dropping by 3,148 participants. India, France, and the US also reduced their representation by 909, 649, and 434 delegates, respectively.
Focus on Climate Action
As global leaders and delegates gather in Baku to discuss urgent climate action, Nigeria’s significant participation highlights the country’s continued commitment to addressing climate change, despite the substantial costs involved in maintaining one of the largest delegations at COP summits. The costs, which include flight expenses and allowances, underscore the government’s ongoing investment in international climate diplomacy and environmental sustainability.