African governments, including Nigeria, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, and Uganda, are justifying their significant delegations at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai, responding to widespread criticism. Nigeria, with 1,411 delegates, leads the list, followed by Morocco with 823 and Kenya with 765. Nigeria and Kenya clarified that a substantial part of their delegations included representatives from the media, civil society organisations, and private institutions, emphasising that not all were publicly funded. They also highlighted the inclusion of remote participants in the listed figures.
An adviser to Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu underscored Nigeria’s position as the continent’s largest country and economy, justifying its substantial stake in climate action. Kenya’s State House spokesperson addressed concerns, stating that the figures reflected registrants, not actual attendees and that only 51 essential delegates were approved by the national government.
In response, the Tanzanian government asserted that over 90% of its delegation was sponsored by the private sector, shedding light on the funding dynamics behind their participation. As the debate continues, African nations stress diverse representation and private sector support within their teams.