UN SECURITY COUNCIL: TINUBU DEMANDS TWO PERMANENT SEATS, VETO POWERS FOR AFRICA

President Bola Tinubu has called for at least two permanent seats for Africa on the United Nations Security Council, with veto powers, as part of proposed reforms to the global body.

Tinubu made the demand on Thursday in his address to the General Debate of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The address was delivered on his behalf by Vice President Kashim Shettima. The UN General Debate is taking place from September 22 to 26 and September 28, 2026.

The President also called for five non-permanent seats for Africa, saying the reform of the UN should begin with restructuring the Security Council to reflect current global realities.

He said Africa could not continue to contribute significantly to the Council’s peace and security agenda without permanent representation.

Tinubu said Nigeria’s position was in line with the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, which form the basis of the Common African Position on Security Council reform.

Under that position, Africa is seeking at least two permanent seats with the full rights and privileges of permanent membership, including veto power for as long as the veto remains, as well as five non-permanent seats.

The President said Nigeria was prepared to take on greater responsibility in international peace and security, citing its involvement in peacekeeping and mediation efforts in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Mali and The Gambia.

He also referenced Nigeria’s continued role in mediation, democratic governance, counter-terrorism and maritime security through the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and Gulf of Guinea partnerships.

On climate change, Tinubu said developing countries should be able to pursue industrialisation and poverty reduction while reducing emissions.

He said Nigeria remained committed to the Paris Agreement and an equitable energy transition, noting that Africa contributes less than four per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions while facing significant climate-related challenges.

Tinubu said Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan was targeting net-zero emissions by 2060 while expanding access to affordable and reliable energy.

According to him, the plan combines renewable energy, clean cooking, gas as a transitional fuel, climate-smart agriculture and nature-based solutions.

The President also called for international climate finance to be based on equity and shared responsibility, with developing countries receiving predictable and adequate funding to pursue climate action without undermining development.

On artificial intelligence, Tinubu called for responsible deployment of the technology, saying AI could be applied to areas including healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and economic productivity.

He said Nigeria was investing in digital public infrastructure, broadband connectivity, innovation ecosystems, research institutions and technology entrepreneurship.

Tinubu also invited international partners to work with Nigerian young people in developing applications of AI for economic and social development.

The President called for reforms to the international financial system, arguing that inadequate access to financing remained a major obstacle to sustainable development.

He advocated wider access to concessional financing and debt sustainability frameworks that take the development needs of developing countries into account.

Tinubu also highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area as an opportunity to strengthen regional value chains, expand intra-African trade and support industrialisation.

He said African countries should focus more on value addition, manufacturing, technological innovation and knowledge-driven growth instead of relying heavily on the export of raw materials.

On security, Tinubu said Nigeria’s experience in fighting Boko Haram, ISWAP and other armed groups had shown that military action alone could not guarantee lasting peace.
 

He called for greater international cooperation against terrorism, organised crime, cyberattacks and illicit financial flows, while urging stronger efforts to address the underlying conditions that contribute to insecurity.

The President also expressed concern over conflicts in Sudan and other parts of the world, calling for urgent diplomacy, protection of civilians and humanitarian access.

He said Nigeria remained committed to peaceful dispute settlement under the UN Charter and supported stronger peacekeeping, peacebuilding, mediation and institution-building efforts.

Tinubu further called for greater recognition of Africa’s contribution to global development, saying developing countries should be treated as partners in addressing global challenges.

The President said Nigeria would continue to support cooperation, dialogue and partnership among nations and called for a reformed, inclusive and effective United Nations.

The call for greater African representation comes as Security Council reform remains under discussion at the UN. The Council currently has 15 members, comprising five permanent members China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States and 10 non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.

The African Union has maintained its common position of seeking at least two permanent seats with full prerogatives, including veto power if the veto is retained, and five non-permanent seats.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also called for Security Council reform, describing the absence of permanent African representation as “indefensible” and arguing that the Council should reflect the realities of the present-day world.

Negotiations on the reform remain ongoing, with UN member states discussing different proposals concerning the Council’s size, categories of membership and the future of the veto. A June 2026 UN elements paper recorded differing positions on whether veto powers should automatically be extended to new permanent members, abolished or addressed through a future review.