Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has taken a critical stance against the Nigerian government for its considerable contingent of 1411 individuals at the ongoing COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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In a pointed comparison, Obi highlighted the irony of Nigeria matching the number of contingents with economic giant China, albeit with stark differences in budget allocation and developmental indices.

China, with a COP28 contingent of 1411 as well, boasts a budget for 2024 that dwarfs Nigeria’s – $4 trillion compared to Nigeria’s $33 billion. Notably, this translates to about $2,860 per head for China and a mere $165 per head for Nigeria.

Obi underscored the discrepancy, emphasizing the financial strain on Nigeria’s limited resources compared to China’s robust economic capacity.

Drawing attention to the Human Development Index (HDI), Obi emphasized the stark contrast between the two nations.

China ranks 79 out of 191 countries measured on the HDI, signifying a high level of human development. In contrast, Nigeria lags behind at 163 out of 191 countries, indicating a lower HDI and developmental challenges.

Obi further pointed out the disconcerting reality that, despite having a population seven times smaller than China, Nigeria grapples with more people living in ‘Multi-Dimensional’ poverty.

In a twist of sad irony, let me congratulate the giant of Africa, Nigeria, for matching the great China, with the same number of contingents at the ongoing COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Nigeria’s contingent to COP28 totaled 1411, the same number as the Chinese
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) December 3, 2023