President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, speaking through Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), has reiterated Nigeria’s demand for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, highlighting the need for the institution to reflect today’s global realities.
Nigeria at the U.N, Tinubu While addressing world leaders at the General Debate, he stated that the United Nations must evolve to remain relevant.
Noting that Nigeria’s transformation from a 20-million-person colony in 1945 to a sovereign nation of over 236 million today illustrates the urgent need for reform.
Tinubu also linked the call for reform to broader economic and social concerns, urging urgent action on sovereign debt relief, fair access to trade and finance, and leveraging Africa’s strategic resources to drive sustainable development.
He said,
“We are here to strengthen the prospects for peace, development and human rights.
Madam President, I want to make four points today to outline how we can do this:
One: Nigeria must have a permanent seat at the UN Security Council. This should take place as part of a wider process of institutional reform.
“Two: We need urgent action to promote sovereign debt relief and access to trade and financing.
“Three: Countries that host minerals must benefit from those minerals.
“Four: The digital divide must close. As our friend the Secretary General has said:
‘A.I.’ must stand for ‘Africa Included.’
”Nigeria’s journey tells this story with clarity:
when the UN was founded, we were a colony of 20 million people, absent from the tables where decisions about our fate were taken;
Today, we are a sovereign nation of over 236 million, projected to be the third most populous country in the world,
with one of the youngest and most dynamic populations on earth,” he said.
Tinubu stressed that granting Nigeria a permanent seat would not only ensure fairness and representation but also restore credibility to the UN, especially its Security Council.
He argued that institutional reform is crucial for strengthening multilateralism, making existing structures more effective,
And demonstrating that the UN can effectively respond to contemporary challenges, including, climate change, irregular migration, and violent extremism.
Highlighting Nigeria’s long-standing commitment to peace,
Tinubu reminded the assembly that the country has participated in 51 of the 60 UN peacekeeping operations since its independence in 1960 and continues to support regional security initiatives, such as the Multinational Joint Task Force.
“A stabilising force in regional security and a consistent partner in global peacekeeping
our case for a permanent seat at the Security Council is a demand for fairness, for representation, and for reform that restores credibility to the very institution upon which the hope of multilateralism rests,” he added.
Nigeria’s push for a permanent Security Council seat comes amid growing calls for institutional reform within the UN, particularly to reflect demographic shifts, emerging economies, and Africa’s growing influence in global affairs.
