Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised the Federal Government over what he described as an unnecessarily bloated contingent to international events, particularly the ongoing COP30 climate summit, where Nigeria reportedly registered 749 delegates.

Obi, in a statement shared on his X handle, questioned the wisdom of deploying such a large team at a time when millions of Nigerians are trapped in multidimensional poverty.

He argued that the country’s economic reality does not justify the level of spending associated with high-profile foreign trips.

“A Bitter Irony”

According to him, Nigeria’s delegation size is almost on par with that of China, a country with vastly superior economic strength and human development indices. China reportedly has 789 delegates at the same conference.

Obi stressed that while Nigeria should maintain a presence in global climate negotiations, such representation must be guided by prudence and a clear understanding of the country’s limitations.

“It remains a troubling irony that Nigeria appears among the top three countries with the largest number of delegates at COP30,” he wrote. “This is happening even as over 150 million of our citizens face multidimensional poverty, battling inadequate healthcare, hunger, and lack of basic services.”

Sharp Economic Contrasts

Drawing comparisons, Obi highlighted that:

China’s GDP stands at $18.74 trillion, while Nigeria’s is slightly above $200 billion—roughly one percent of China’s output.

China’s life expectancy averages 79 years, compared to Nigeria’s 54 years.

GDP per capital in China is around $13,300, nearly ten times that of Nigeria.

Only 3.9% of China’s population lives in multidimensional poverty, whereas Nigeria’s figure is 63%, the highest number of poor people in any country.

“These disparities make it clear that we cannot mirror China in scale or expenditure,” he said. “Our leaders must demonstrate responsible stewardship, not lavish travel habits.”

Call for Responsible Leadership

Obi argued that the funds committed to sponsoring hundreds of officials abroad could be better invested at home—in healthcare, education, and other critical social services.

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He maintained that Nigeria’s presence at global events should reflect a nation focused on development priorities, not one eager to impress with delegation numbers.

“The real work,” he insisted, “lies in lifting our people out of poverty, not in assembling large entourages for international conferences.”