Tinubu Renews Nigeria’s Push for Permanent Seat on UN Security Council at UNGA 80

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has renewed Nigeria’s call for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, insisting that the global body must undergo urgent reform to remain relevant.

Addressing world leaders through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Tinubu said Nigeria’s inclusion on the Security Council would promote fairness, enhance global representation, and restore credibility to the UN system.

He noted that the Security Council still reflects the world order of 1945 and must adapt to present-day realities. Nigeria, he pointed out, has grown from a colony with 20 million people at the time of the UN’s founding into a sovereign nation of more than 236 million, projected to become the third most populous country in the world.

The President outlined four key reform priorities. First, Nigeria must be granted a permanent seat at the Security Council as part of broader institutional reform. Second, urgent action is needed to promote sovereign debt relief and fairer access to global trade and finance for developing countries. Third, countries that host mineral resources must directly benefit from them. Finally, he stressed that the global digital divide must be closed, declaring that “AI must stand for Africa Included.”

Tinubu also highlighted Nigeria’s record of participation in UN peacekeeping missions and its role in supporting regional security initiatives. He argued that Africa’s absence from permanent Security Council membership represents a significant gap in global governance, especially given the continent’s demographic growth and increasing economic influence.

Nigeria’s renewed push adds momentum to wider demands from Africa and the Global South for institutional reform at the UN, with many countries arguing that the Security Council must expand to reflect the realities of today’s world rather than those of eight decades ago.