Nigeria emerged as the African nation with the largest representation at COP28 in Dubai, sending a total of 1411 delegates—590 party delegates and 821 overflow delegates.

Interestingly, this figure matches the delegates from China, the world's second most populous country at 1,425,671,352.

Following Nigeria, Morocco secured the second position among African countries with a substantial delegation of 823 delegates—comprising 581 party delegates and 242 overflow delegates.

Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, and Uganda followed closely, ranking third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively, with a combined total of 765, 763, 618, and 606 delegates.

South Africa and Egypt, secured the tenth and eighth positions, with 410 and 565 delegates respectively, both recognized as key players in Africa's 'Big 5' wealth markets, according to the 2023 Africa Wealth Report recently published by Henley & Partners in collaboration with New World Wealth.

The report reveals that these 'Big 5' wealth markets, comprising South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Morocco, collectively account for 56% of the continent's high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and over 90% of its billionaires.

Furthermore, the continent boasts of a substantial affluent population, housing 138,000 high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) possessing wealth amounts exceeding USD 1 million. Additionally, there are 328 centi-millionaires, each with a net worth surpassing USD 100 million, and an impressive count of 23 billionaires denominated in US dollars. This highlights the considerable economic diversity and wealth distribution present across the African continent.

The mystery deepens as South Africa, maintaining its status with twice the number of High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs) compared to any other African country and contributing a notable 30% to the continent's centi-millionaires, surprisingly does not top the chart in terms of delegates at the event. The reasons behind this intriguing phenomenon are yet to be uncovered, adding an element of curiosity to the dynamics of the delegate representation at the forefront of the conference.

The enigma deepens further as Egypt, holding the distinction of having the highest number of billionaires in Africa and securing the second position after South Africa in terms of countries with the most millionaires, raises questions about its delegate representation.

Additionally, the anomaly extends to Mauritius, which boasts by far the highest wealth per capita (average wealth per person) at USD 37,500, yet chose to send only 56 delegates, adding an element of uncertainty to the reasons behind the delegate allocations from these economically significant nations.

Here is the list of African countries with the most millionaires, including the respective numbers:

South Africa: 37,800 millionaires

Egypt: 16,100 millionaires

Nigeria: 9,800 millionaires

Kenya: 7,700 millionaires

Morocco: 5,800 millionaires

Mauritius: 4,900 millionaires

Algeria: 2,800 millionaires

Ethiopia: 2,700 millionaires

Ghana: 2,600 millionaires

Tanzania: 2,400 millionaires

Interestingly, Ethiopia, Mauritius, and Algeria, despite their millionaire populations, presented the least number of delegates to COP28. Their delegate counts were 275, 56, and 33, respectively, ranking 17th, 42nd, and 45th on the list of African countries with the highest number of delegates at COP28.

Nigeria Responds and Analyzes Global Carbon Emission Statistics

In response to the criticism surrounding their delegate numbers at COP28, representatives from Nigeria and Kenya have provided clarifications. They emphasized that a significant portion of their delegations included individuals from the media, civil society organizations, and private institutions, and that these members were not publicly funded.

An adviser to Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu issued a statement, emphasizing Nigeria's status as the largest country and economy in Africa. The statement underscored Nigeria's substantial involvement in climate action, particularly due to its extensive extractive economy. According to the adviser, the size of the Nigerian delegation reflects the country's pivotal role in these discussions.

But the questions remain, why is Nigeria sending as many as 1411 as China and bigger than India, France, USA, UK, RUSSIA, Germany, AND even South Africa with 948, 800, 770, 697, 590, 468, and 410 delegates respectively.

Africa, inclusive of Nigeria, accounts for a mere 4 percent of the global carbon emissions. Within the continent, over 60 percent of carbon emissions originate from three specific countries: South Africa contributes 435.9 million tonnes, Egypt is responsible for 249.6 million tonnes, and Algeria adds 176.2 million tonnes to the total. Notably, Nigeria is not listed among these three.

South Africa stands out as one of the world's most coal-dependent nations, with almost 85 percent of its CO2 emissions stemming from coal usage. On a per capita basis, Libya, a country rich in oil production, records the highest CO2 emissions in Africa. However, it is noteworthy that Libya's delegate count at 150 was comparatively low.

Globally, the year 2021 witnessed the emission of approximately 37.12 billion tonnes of CO2. Oxfam reports that over half of these emissions can be attributed to the wealthiest 10 percent of the global population.

In the broader context, Africa's carbon emissions are overshadowed by the emissions from other continents. China leads with 11.47 billion tonnes, trailed by the United States (5 billion tonnes), India (2.7 billion tonnes), Russia (1.75 billion tonnes), and Japan (1.07 billion tonnes).

Kenya Responds and Analyzes Global Carbon Emission Statistics

Addressing concerns about delegate numbers, Kenya's State House spokesperson, Hussein Mohammed, described the figures as "exaggerated." He clarified that the numbers represented individuals who had registered for the event, not the actual attendees.

Mr. Mohammed further explained that the national government had approved only 51 essential delegates, with the remaining participants being sponsored by various groups.

But in the context of UNFCCC and its annual COP, party delegates refer to individuals representing countries (parties) that are signatories to the UNFCCC. These delegates play a crucial role in negotiating and making decisions related to international climate policies and agreements. Each party delegate represents their country's interests, communicates its positions, and participates in various discussions and working groups during the COP meetings.

Overflow delegates, on the other hand, typically refer to individuals who are part of a country's delegation but may not have official accreditation to enter the main negotiation rooms or plenary sessions due to limited space. COP meetings often attract a large number of participants, including government officials, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), observers, and media. As a result, there may be overflow areas or side events where individuals without full access can still follow the proceedings.

The distinction between party delegates and overflow delegates highlights the logistics and practicalities of managing a large international conference with diverse participants and limited space in certain venues.

If we consider the 51 essential delegates as party delegates, Kenya's representation at COP28 amounted to 368, as per the provisional registered members. This surpasses Mr. Mohammed's quoted number by an 86% margin.

Kenya, excluded from the top 10 carbon-emitting nations in Africa, surpasses delegate count compared to higher-emitting countries such as Sudan (21,038,216 CO2 emission per tonne), Libya (74,525,080 CO2 emission per tonne), Angola (21,362,716 CO2 emission per tonne), and Tunisia (31,582,746 CO2 emission per capita). Notably, these nations, emitting more than Kenya, sent fewer delegates, with Sudan sending 46, Libya 150, Angola 290, and Tunisia 221 delegates.

Why is a nation blatantly engaging in wrongdoing sending fewer representatives than those involved in crimes against humanity? What is the reasoning behind the substantial delegation numbers?

Ghana Responds and Analyzes Global Carbon Emission Statistics

Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu, Ghana’s Deputy Head of Party for COP 28 and Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has clarified that the government did not finance all 618 delegates currently participating in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). He specified that government funding covered representatives such as officials and negotiators.

Dr. Kokofu, also serving as the Special Envoy of CVF and Executive Director of EPA, expressed enthusiasm about the sizable delegate count, emphasizing its potential to enhance awareness of climate change. In an audio interview, he emphasized that the government played no role in determining the number of delegates, and prior announcements allowed interested individuals to register for the conference.

Ghana's decision to send these delegates mirrors the approaches taken by Kenya and Nigeria. Despite ranking 9th among Africa's leading carbon emitters, Ghana's emission levels are not significantly higher than those of Saudi Arabia, which has 426 delegates, and Germany, with 468 delegates. Both Saudi Arabia and Germany are among the top 20 global emitters. Thus, the question arises: Is it the sheer number of delegates or their influence that truly matters? The subsequent sub-headings will delve into this matter.

If the goal is to educate delegates about climate change issues, COP is not the optimal venue. COP is specifically designed for negotiations, policy formulation, and discussions aimed at reaching concrete agreements. If delegates are attending to enhance their understanding of climate issues, opting for a freely available online course at their convenience or participating virtually would be a more effective alternative.

Isn't the African Group of Negotiators sufficient to represent the interests of the continent?

The African Group of Negotiators (AGN), currently led by Zambia, is poised to advocate for Africa at the COP28 discussions in Dubai. Despite Africa contributing less than 5 percent of global emissions, the continent bears a disproportionate impact from adverse climate change effects, making the fight against climate change urgent and a matter of survival for African nations.

Given that the AGN, under the guidance of chief negotiator Ephraim Shitima, will address key issues such as a just energy transition and climate finance, including adaptation funding, what necessitates sending a large number of delegates?

Currently, can the AGN effectively argue that over 600 million Africans lack access to electricity, and approximately 900 million cannot utilize clean cooking methods?

Is the AGN not potent enough to propose that developed countries cease investments in fossil fuel projects by 2030 and encourage developing nations to bridge that gap?

Words versus Deeds

COP discussions have predominantly centered on dialogue rather than tangible actions, particularly from affluent nations expected to provide climate financing and make substantial reductions in carbon emissions. If, as stated by Aggad, the former AU adviser, African negotiators often find it challenging to counter their wealthier counterparts, what impact can a large number of less influential individuals at the talks truly have?

Notably, at these discussions, lobbyists from developed nations frequently outnumber those from Africa or Asia. However, the question arises: is it merely about the quantity of individuals or the influence they wield?

Surprisingly, the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) places significant emphasis on COP, while developed countries treat it more as a foreign diplomacy business. Multiple ministries from developed nations work on securing concessions on deals that the AGN may not even be aware of by the time COP arrives. Africa must reconsider its negotiation approach; while COP is a moment, the AGN should consistently present the African narrative on the global stage.

The stakes are high for African countries if COP negotiations fail to adequately consider the continent in the final agreement. Africa is already experiencing accelerated warming compared to the rest of the world, as indicated by an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. Additionally, sea levels are rising faster than the global average. Furthermore, progress in addressing climate change for Africa is intricately linked with the continent's development agenda.