President Bola Tinubu has opened a fresh battle for the restructuring of the United Nations, demanding at least two permanent seats for Africa on the Security Council with veto powers.
Tinubu made the demand at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, arguing that the global body can no longer operate on a power structure designed in 1945.
The President’s address was delivered by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who told world leaders that Africa could not continue to play a major role in international peace and security while being shut out of the Security Council’s permanent membership.
Nigeria also demanded five non-permanent seats for Africa as part of the proposed restructuring.
“The reform of this institution must begin with the reconstitution of the Security Council, for the world of 2026 cannot remain captive to the distribution of power in 1945,” Tinubu said.
His demand comes as UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also stepped up calls for Security Council reform, describing Africa’s continued absence from permanent membership as “unjust and indefensible.”
Tinubu said Nigeria’s demand was in line with the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration, which represent Africa’s common position on Security Council reform.
He argued that if the veto remains part of the Council’s permanent membership, Africa’s proposed seats must come with the same privilege.
“Africa cannot continue to fill the Council’s agenda while remaining absent from its permanent membership,” he said.
Nigeria also used its record in international peacekeeping to strengthen its case, citing its roles in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Mali and The Gambia.
Tinubu said the country remained ready to shoulder greater responsibility in maintaining international peace, adding that Nigeria continued to contribute to mediation, democratic governance, counter-terrorism and maritime security through ECOWAS, the African Union and Gulf of Guinea partnerships.
The Security Council currently has 15 members, including five permanent members — the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France — all of which wield veto powers.
Beyond the UN power struggle, Tinubu used his address to demand changes to the global financial system, more climate financing for developing countries and greater access to concessional funding.
He said developing countries should be allowed to industrialise and tackle poverty without being forced to choose between economic development and climate action.
Nigeria, he said, remained committed to its Energy Transition Plan and its target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060, while expanding access to reliable and affordable energy.
On artificial intelligence, Tinubu called for responsible use of the technology, warning that AI could either become a tool for destruction or be deployed to transform healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and economic productivity.
He urged the international community to work with Nigerian youths and harness their technological creativity for development.
Tinubu also pushed for greater value addition to Africa’s natural resources, saying the continent must move away from dependence on the export of raw materials and focus more on manufacturing, technology and knowledge-based industries.
“Our abundant natural resources must become engines of shared prosperity rather than sources of perpetual dependency,” he said.
On terrorism and insecurity, the President said Nigeria’s experience fighting Boko Haram, ISWAP and other armed groups had shown that military operations alone could not guarantee lasting peace.
He called for greater international cooperation against terrorism, organised crime, cyberattacks and illicit financial flows.
Tinubu also demanded urgent diplomatic action over the war in Sudan and other conflicts, while urging all parties to protect civilians and comply with international humanitarian and human rights law.
He said Nigeria would continue to favour diplomacy and peaceful settlement of disputes under the UN Charter.
“We place our faith in diplomacy because military victories alone cannot secure lasting peace,” he said.
The President further backed reform of the international financial architecture, wider access to concessional financing and debt frameworks that take the developmental needs of poorer countries into account.
He also promoted the African Continental Free Trade Area as a platform for expanding intra-African trade, building regional value chains and accelerating industrialisation.
Tinubu ended his address with a call for a more inclusive United Nations, saying global institutions must evolve with the changing world.
“Nigeria pledges to choose cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over division, hope over fear and partnership over isolation,” he said.
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