President Bola Tinubu has called for a major restructuring of the United Nations Security Council, demanding at least two permanent seats for Africa with veto powers.
Tinubu made the demand on Thursday during Nigeria’s address at the General Debate of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. Vice President Kashim Shettima delivered the address on his behalf.
The President also called for five non-permanent seats for Africa, arguing that the current structure of the Security Council no longer reflects the distribution of global power.
He said reform of the United Nations must begin with the Security Council, noting that Africa should not continue to contribute to the council’s work without permanent representation.
“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 Nigeria’s position was consistent with the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration, which have formed the basis of the African Union’s demand for greater representation at the Security Council.
“Africa cannot continue to fill the Council’s agenda while remaining absent from its permanent membership. Nigeria demands, in accordance with the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, at least two permanent seats for Africa, with all the rights and responsibilities of permanent membership, including the veto for as long as it exists, and five non-permanent seats in total.”
The 15-member UN Security Council currently has five permanent members, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, all of which possess veto powers. The remaining 10 seats are non-permanent and are filled through elections for two-year terms.
Tinubu said Nigeria was ready to assume greater responsibility in maintaining international peace and security, pointing to the country’s involvement in peacekeeping and mediation efforts in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Mali and The Gambia.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s role through ECOWAS, the African Union and Gulf of Guinea partnerships in areas including mediation, democratic governance, counter-terrorism and maritime security.
On climate change, Tinubu rejected what he described as a false choice between economic development and environmental protection.
“We reject the false choice between development and climate action. Developing countries must industrialise, eradicate poverty and expand energy access through low-carbon pathways supported by technology transfer, capacity building and climate finance.”
He noted that Africa contributes less than four per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions but faces significant consequences from climate change.
Tinubu said Nigeria remained committed to the Paris Agreement and an energy transition that takes into account historical responsibility and the development needs of poorer countries.
He said Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan targets net-zero emissions by 2060 while seeking to expand access to affordable and reliable energy.
According to the President, the plan combines renewable energy, clean cooking, gas as a transitional fuel, climate-smart agriculture and nature-based solutions.
He also called for international climate finance to be structured around equity and shared responsibility.
“Finance must be governed by equity and shared responsibility rather than charity, with international commitments translated into accessible, predictable and adequately funded mechanisms enabling developing countries to pursue climate action without compromising development objectives.”
Tinubu also addressed the growing global debate over artificial intelligence, calling for responsible deployment of the technology.
He said AI could be used for destructive purposes or deployed to improve healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and economic productivity.
“We can deploy artificial intelligence to wage war or use it to transform healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and economic productivity.”
The President said Nigeria was investing in digital public infrastructure, broadband connectivity, innovation ecosystems, research institutions and technology entrepreneurship.
He invited international partners to work with Nigerian young people to develop AI applications that can support economic and social development.
Tinubu further called for reform of the international financial system, saying inadequate access to financing remained a major obstacle to sustainable development in developing countries.
“Nigeria therefore calls for reform of the international financial architecture, wider access to concessional financing and debt sustainability frameworks that recognise developmental needs.”
He also backed innovative financing mechanisms involving private capital, blended finance, South-South cooperation and strategic partnerships to support sustainable development, climate adaptation and resilient infrastructure.
On African economic integration, Tinubu highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area as an opportunity to strengthen regional value chains, expand intra-African trade and accelerate industrialisation.
He urged African countries to move beyond the export of raw materials by increasing investment in value addition, manufacturing, technological innovation and knowledge-based industries.
“Our abundant natural resources must become engines of shared prosperity rather than sources of perpetual dependency.”
On security, Tinubu said Nigeria’s experience fighting Boko Haram, ISWAP and other armed groups had demonstrated that military action alone could not produce lasting peace.
He said sustainable security required investment in education, economic opportunity, accountable governance and the protection of citizens’ rights and dignity.
“Development cannot take root where violence repeatedly uproots livelihoods, and peace cannot endure where injustice and exclusion replenish the ranks of those who threaten it.”
The President called for stronger international cooperation against terrorism, organised crime, cyberattacks and illicit financial activities.
He also expressed concern about conflicts in Sudan and other parts of the world, urging parties to protect civilians, comply with international humanitarian and human rights law and facilitate humanitarian access.
Tinubu said negotiated settlements should respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to peaceful dispute resolution under the UN Charter and called for stronger international investment in peacekeeping, peacebuilding, mediation and institution-building.
The President’s call for Security Council reform came as UN Secretary-General António Guterres renewed his criticism of Africa’s lack of permanent representation.
Guterres has previously described the absence of permanent African seats on the Security Council as “indefensible” and argued that the structure of global institutions should reflect present-day geopolitical realities rather than the balance of power that existed in 1945.
The African Union’s position has been that the continent should receive at least two permanent Security Council seats with full privileges, including veto power if the veto is retained, alongside five non-permanent seats.
Tinubu said Nigeria would continue to support international cooperation and dialogue.
“Nigeria pledges to choose cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over division, hope over fear and partnership over isolation.”
He concluded by arguing that a reformed United Nations remained necessary to address global security and development challenges.
“A reformed, inclusive and effective United Nations is indispensable to the peaceful, just and sustainable world that future generations deserve.”
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