Nigeria has indicated that its support for the next United Nations Secretary-General will be guided by equity, justice, and fairness, with particular consideration for a candidate who supports Africa's demand for greater representation in global decision-making institutions. This was stated by Vice President Kashim Shettima during a meeting with Costa Rica's candidate for the UN's top job, Rebeca Grynspan, in New York. Shettima led Nigeria's delegation to the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
Costa Rica formally nominated Grynspan on March 3, 2026, as one of the candidates seeking to succeed António Guterres as UN Secretary-General. Shettima said Nigeria would also consider candidates' commitment to Africa's aspirations, multilateralism, and reform of the global governance architecture. He recommended considering Grynspan's candidature based on Nigeria's relationship with Latin America, gender inclusion, and other factors.
Shettima renewed Nigeria's argument for reform of the global governance architecture, saying the international system had changed significantly between 1945 and 2026 without adequately reflecting Africa's place and population in major decision-making institutions. Grynspan, a former Vice President of Costa Rica and experienced UN official, told Shettima that she was seeking Nigeria's support and was prepared to pursue reforms demanded by developing countries, particularly those in the Global South.
Grynspan's candidature and participation in the formal UN selection process have been confirmed by the United Nations. She said her agenda would prioritise peace and pledged support for Africa's longstanding demand for permanent representation on the UN Security Council. Her campaign platform has also emphasised reform of the UN system, including greater accountability, geographically equitable appointments, and stronger partnerships between the organisation, member states, and regional institutions.
Nigeria and the Netherlands have agreed to deepen cooperation on financial inclusion, particularly initiatives targeted at women and vulnerable groups. This agreement emerged from a separate bilateral meeting between Shettima and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands in New York. Shettima welcomed the Netherlands' offer to deploy its expertise and experience in financial health to support Nigeria's financial inclusion programmes.
Shettima cited the Federal Government's conditional cash transfer programme and interventions in agriculture among measures being deployed to broaden economic opportunities, adding that Nigeria's growing fintech industry was also playing an important role in bringing financially excluded citizens into the formal system. Queen Máxima, who also serves as the UN Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Financial Health, commended Nigeria's recent economic growth and pledged Dutch support by sharing expertise in insurance, credit guarantees, and data generation.
The Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, said recent measures announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria would improve the availability and cost of credit, alongside existing insurance and pension policies. The administration's financial inclusion drive ultimately aims to expand opportunities for poor and vulnerable Nigerians and improve their living standards.
Key points
- Nigeria will support a UN Secretary-General candidate who champions Africa's interests and advocates for reform of the global governance architecture.
- Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan is a candidate for the UN Secretary-General position, seeking Nigeria's support.
- Nigeria and the Netherlands have agreed to deepen cooperation on financial inclusion, particularly initiatives targeted at women and vulnerable groups.
