Nigeria's Vice-President Kashim Shettima has called for a radical shake-up of the United Nations, emphasizing the need for reforms to grant Africa permanent seats on the Security Council. Speaking at the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu, stressed that the current power distribution, established in 1945, is outdated. He argued that Africa can no longer afford to be absent from the Council's permanent membership.
Shettima demanded at least two permanent seats for Africa, complete with full rights, responsibilities, and veto power, as well as five non-permanent seats. This call aligns with the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. He emphasized that the authority to speak for humanity comes with an obligation to represent it. The Vice-President's statement reflects Nigeria's commitment to reforming the UN to better represent the interests of African nations.
President Bola Tinubu, in a separate address, issued a wake-up call to world leaders, urging an immediate end to global warfare and a rejection of rising nationalism. He warned that the global order is at risk and emphasized the need for a unified front through multilateralism. Tinubu stressed that the UN's founding principles of dialogue, mutual respect, and collective responsibility must be upheld to achieve a world where diplomacy prevails over coercion.
President Tinubu highlighted Nigeria's peacekeeping efforts in Africa as a model, citing the nation's contributions to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Mali, and The Gambia. He stated that Nigeria stands ready to take on greater responsibility to restore peace across the continent. Through ECOWAS, the African Union, and Gulf of Guinea partnerships, Nigeria continues to advance mediation, democratic governance, counter-terrorism, and maritime security.
The President emphasized that Nigeria's foreign policy is guided by the same conviction that drives its economic reforms. He noted that the nation's sustainable development commitments are being actioned through macroeconomic management, robust institutions, private-sector growth, and strategic public investment. Tinubu stressed that internal achievements are meaningless if external threats are ignored, and that geography offers no exemption from the consequences of a fractured world.
President Tinubu also urged global action on climate change, rejecting the notion that development and climate action are mutually exclusive. He emphasized that developing countries must industrialize, eradicate poverty, and expand energy access using low-carbon pathways backed by technology transfer and climate finance. Nigeria, he stated, is committed to the Paris Agreement and a fair energy transition, with a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.
The President concluded by calling for reform of the international financial architecture, wider access to concessional financing, and debt sustainability structures that recognize developmental needs. He noted that inadequate financing is a significant obstacle to sustainable development, as many developing nations spend a substantial portion of their resources on debt servicing at the expense of education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
Key points
- Nigeria's Vice-President Kashim Shettima calls for UN Security Council reform, seeking permanent seats for Africa.
- President Bola Tinubu urges global action on climate change and an end to global warfare.
- Nigeria commits to the Paris Agreement and a fair energy transition, aiming for net-zero emissions by 2060.
