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VP Shettima Delivers Tinubu’s Address at the 81st UNGA in New York (Full Text)
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STATEMENT BY H.E. BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR, PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
AS DELIVERED BY
H.E. KASHIM SHETTIMA, GCON,
VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
AT THE GENERAL DEBATE OF THE EIGHTY-FIRST SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE THEME: “RESTORING TRUST, MANAGING TRANSFORMATION: A UNITED NATIONS THAT DELIVERS FOR ALL”
24TH SEPTEMBER, 2026
Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary-General,
Excellencies, Heads of State and Government,
Distinguished Delegates,
I extend my warmest congratulations to you, Mr. President, on your election as President of the Eighty-First Session of the United Nations General Assembly and assure you of Nigeria’s full cooperation and support. I commend your predecessor’s stewardship of this Assembly. I also salute the Secretary-General, His Excellency António Guterres, for steering the United Nations through storms that have sharpened our awareness of the cost of inaction.
2. None of us can pretend that conflicts within our borders or in lands far beyond them do not exact a price from us. Such is the reach of our interdependence. Such is the urgency of this session’s sacred duty to restore trust in the international institutions we established to reconcile our differences and advance our common interests.
3. The persistence of conflict across the world recalls the purpose for which the United Nations was founded: to spare succeeding generations the devastation of war. We must therefore return to the founding principles of dialogue, mutual respect and collective responsibility. Nigeria stands by the Charter and its promise of a world in which diplomacy prevails over coercion, cooperation over isolation and international law over the arbitrary exercise of power.
Mr. President,
4. 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. 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 authority to speak for humanity carries an obligation to represent it.
5. Nigeria stands ready to assume greater responsibility on the strength of obligations honoured and sacrifices made over decades in the service of peace. From Liberia and Sierra Leone to Darfur, Mali and The Gambia, we have committed personnel and resources when international solidarity required action. Through ECOWAS, the African Union and our Gulf of Guinea partnerships, we continue to advance mediation, democratic governance, counter-terrorism and maritime security.
Mr. President,
6. Our foreign policy rests on the same conviction that guides our economic reforms. Through sound macroeconomic management, stronger institutions, private-sector development and strategic public investment, we seek to give practical meaning to our sustainable development commitments. This purpose binds our national advancement to our continent’s progress and to our responsibility to contribute to a peaceful, equitable and prosperous world.
7. We understand that governments and multilateral institutions earn trust when their decisions improve lives. Yet none of these gains will matter if we turn a deaf ear to the threats gathering around our borders and farther afield. We inhabit the only planet known to sustain human life, and as long as that scientific fact holds, we cannot pretend that we are insulated from conflicts elsewhere. Geography offers no exemption from the consequences of a fractured world.
Mr. President,
8. 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. Africa contributes less than four per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, yet bears disproportionate consequences. Nigeria remains committed to the Paris Agreement and an equitable energy transition that reflects historical responsibility and capacity while protecting people’s right to development.
9. Under our Energy Transition Plan, we are working towards net-zero emissions by 2060 while expanding access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy. This effort combines renewable energy, clean cooking and gas as a transitional fuel with climate-smart agriculture and nature-based solutions. 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.
Excellencies,
10. We refuse to surrender our technological future to paranoia. An invention can be destructive or beneficial, depending on the purposes it serves and the judgement of those who use it. A knife can take a life in the hands of an assailant and save one in the hands of a surgeon. We can deploy artificial intelligence to wage war or use it to transform healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and economic productivity. Much of the anxiety surrounding AI reflects the distrust we have allowed to grow among us.
11. Nigeria is investing in digital public infrastructure, broadband connectivity, innovation ecosystems, research institutions and technology entrepreneurship. We invite the world to work with our inventive, resourceful and enterprising young people to direct AI towards humanity’s advancement rather than its destruction.
12. Mr. President,
13. One of the greatest obstacles to sustainable development is inadequate financing. Many developing countries devote substantial resources to debt servicing at the expense of education, healthcare and infrastructure. Nigeria therefore calls for reform of the international financial architecture, wider access to concessional financing and debt sustainability frameworks that recognise developmental needs. We also support innovative financing through private capital, blended finance, South-South cooperation and strategic partnerships for sustainable development, climate adaptation and resilient infrastructure.
14. Nigeria further recognises the African Continental Free Trade Area as one of the continent’s most transformative opportunities. It can strengthen regional value chains, expand intra-African trade, promote industrialisation and attract investment. Africa must move beyond its historical role as an exporter of raw materials towards greater value addition, manufacturing, technological innovation and knowledge-driven growth. Our abundant natural resources must become engines of shared prosperity rather than sources of perpetual dependency.
Mr. President,
15. No nation, however formidable its defences, can secure itself completely against dangers sustained beyond its borders. Terrorism, organised crime, cyberattacks and illicit finance exploit the gaps between our national responses, drawing strength from the divisions that weaken collective action. Nigeria’s prolonged struggle against Boko Haram, ISWAP and other armed groups has taught us that military victories require enduring foundations in education, economic opportunity, accountable governance and communities whose rights and dignity are protected. 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.
16. Our common security therefore demands cooperation equal to the reach of the threats before us. We must exchange intelligence, strengthen institutional capacity, interrupt the financing of violence and prevent weapons from crossing borders that our responses too often fail to cross. The turmoil in the Sahel illustrates how insecurity in one territory can imperil its neighbours, displace populations and frustrate commerce, regional integration and democratic governance. As a founding member of ECOWAS, Nigeria upholds regional solidarity and African leadership in resolving these challenges, reinforced by principled international partnerships. No country can claim lasting safety while the forces capable of destabilising it retain sanctuary, resources and recruits elsewhere.
Excellencies,
17. Nigeria remains committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes under the United Nations Charter. The conflicts in Sudan and other war-torn countries demand urgent diplomacy to address their humanitarian, economic and geopolitical consequences. All parties must uphold international humanitarian and human rights law, protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access. Negotiated settlements must respect sovereignty and territorial integrity. Within and beyond our continent, no claim to security can justify starving children, denying relief to civilians or erasing communities from the land they call home.
18. We should all be afraid of a world in which we can no longer tell the victim from the aggressor. When our investment in propaganda shields perpetrators from justice to the point that telling the truth becomes a crime, the promise of this institution stands betrayed.
19. We place our faith in diplomacy because military victories alone cannot secure lasting peace. Dialogue, reconciliation and inclusive political processes must give people a stake in ending violence and preserving the agreements that follow. The United Nations must therefore strengthen peacekeeping and give greater attention to peacebuilding, mediation, institution-building and sustainable development. Prevention must command greater resources and political attention.
Mr. President,
20. Africa is ready for the future. Our resilience, our ingenuity, our youthful population, our natural wealth and our expanding markets can make us a major driver of global growth in this century. The African Continental Free Trade Area offers exceptional scope to deepen regional integration, accelerate industrialisation and strengthen our place in global value chains. Developing countries must be recognised as indispensable partners whose contributions to global solutions and shared prosperity extend far beyond their need for assistance.
21. Such a partnership requires a United Nations that evolves with the aspirations of present and future generations. Institutions that adapt preserve their relevance; those that resist change imperil it. Nigeria remains optimistic because history shows that countries acting with common purpose and determination can overcome obstacles once considered insurmountable. Our generation has the privilege of shaping the future and the responsibility to answer for it. Those who follow us will judge our courage in reforming outdated institutions, building cooperation across divisions, protecting the planet and directing technology responsibly.
Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
22. Nigeria pledges to choose cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over division, hope over fear and partnership over isolation. These choices must shape institutions that respond to the legitimate aspirations of all nations. Restoring trust requires us to honour our obligations to one another and to manage the changes before us with justice, wisdom and compassion.
23. The world looks to this Assembly for leadership, and our debates must lead to action worthy of that expectation. Nigeria believes that the humanity we share is stronger than the divisions we have made and that cooperation remains wiser than conflict. A reformed, inclusive and effective United Nations is indispensable to the peaceful, just and sustainable world that future generations deserve. Whatever our differences, we must remember that humanity is our oldest citizenship, and peace is the inheritance we owe every child.
24. I thank you for your kind attention.
President Bola Tinubu has told members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council not to expect him to accompany them to every campaign event ahead of the 2027 general election, saying he must remain focused on governance and the country’s economic responsibilities.
Tinubu spoke on Wednesday during the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja, where he urged members to take the party’s message to Nigerians across the states and local government areas while he continues to attend to matters of governance.
The president said he agreed with concerns that the demands of the campaign should not distract him from running the country, adding that Nigeria needs his attention at the moment.
“You’ve warned me not to allow the rigour of the campaign to distract me from governance, I hear you. I am in full agreement with your decision. Nigeria needs more attention now,” Tinubu said.
He told council members to excuse him from accompanying them to every campaign event, noting that his administration has bills to pay and international financial obligations to meet.
“So, you will excuse me from going everywhere with you, we have bills to pay. The American creditors cannot wait,” the President said.
Tinubu also said the government needs to attract investors who would commit to long-term investments in Nigeria and contribute to the future of the country’s children.
“We want those investors to come in, be here to stay, to invest for the future of our children,” he said.
The president, however, assured Nigerians that he would continue to engage them directly even as the campaign council took charge of mobilisation across the country.
“However, I will still make time to speak directly with Nigerians, even as you lead the campaign in the states and local government areas,” he said.
Tinubu described the inauguration of the council as more than a campaign activity, saying it represents a renewed commitment to Nigerians and the responsibilities of the ruling party.
“We have not gathered merely to inaugurate a council. We have gathered to renew a covenant. A covenant with Nigerian people and the historic responsibility they have entrusted to us as Nigeria’s governing party,” he said.
He added that the council is expected to communicate the administration’s vision, achievements and agenda to voters nationwide.
“This council will carry our vision, our records and our agenda to every Nigerian, and it will carry them to victory every ward of this country,” Tinubu said.
The president also commended APC members for completing the party’s congresses, recalling that some had predicted internal crises during the process.
He said the party has overcome the challenges and emerged united, crediting members for participating in the process from the ward level to the national leadership.
“They said there will be implosion. We passed through it. We did not fail. You didn’t let us down. We got here together,” he said.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has named Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); Ademola Adeleke, Osun State governor; and Chukwuma Soludo, Anambra State governor, as campaign coordinators in its expanded presidential campaign council for the 2027 general election, despite their affiliations with other political parties.
Wike belongs to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Soludo is a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), while Adeleke won re-election as Osun governor in 2026 under the Accord Party.
Under the new arrangement, Wike will coordinate the APC campaign in Rivers State and the FCT, Soludo will oversee Anambra, while Adeleke will coordinate the campaign in Osun.
The expanded list is scheduled for inauguration by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.
The APC initially released its campaign council list on August 22, naming Abdulaziz Yari, former Zamfara governor, as director-general. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni were appointed deputy director-generals.
In the revised list, Akpabio, Abbas and Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq are deputy vice-chairmen I, II and III, respectively, while Buni becomes deputy director-general I for the North.
The council also includes former governors and party chieftains as advisers, which include former APC national chairmen Adebisi Akande and Abdullahi Adamu; former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun; former Osun State Governor Iyiola Omisore; Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo; Senator George Akume; former Ogun State Governor Segun Osoba; and Wale Edun. Obafemi George is listed as an adviser on media.
The Directorate of Election Planning, Coordination, Monitoring and Mobilisation, established ahead of the 2027 general election, has Faleke as Deputy Director-General, with Stella Okotete and Engr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat serving as Secretary I and Secretary II, respectively. Audu Maikori is also listed as a secretary.
Other members of the directorate include Soares Omotola, Bashir Dabo, Sheriff Mohammed Usman, Jibrin Bancir, Ayoola Peter Olajolo, Abubakar Sadiq Sada and Princess Folasade Ogunbiyi.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has questioned how the Federal government’s 30-day petrol price discount would reduce poverty, unemployment, insecurity and inequality in the country.
Obi raised the questions in a statement posted on his X platform on Sunday, describing the initiative as a reactive policy that substitutes political optics for sound economic planning.
He argued that the discount, which he said amounts to less than five per cent of petrol costs, is unlikely to address the wider economic challenges facing Nigerians.
“The announcement by the APC-led Federal government offering a 30-day discount on price of petrol to relieve the acute hardship and hunger caused Nigerians by its unplanned removal of subsidy can only be described as another very reactive and confused approach to governance that is now the culture of the Tinubu government,” he said.
Obi said he had delayed commenting on the policy to allow time to assess its outcome, but maintains that the measure has not demonstrated a sustainable approach to addressing the country’s economic difficulties.
He recalled that President Bola Tinubu removed the petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023, arguing that the decision was taken without adequate consultation or a proper assessment of its likely effects on the economy and the livelihoods of ordinary Nigerians.
According to Obi, the subsidy removal was followed by other policies, including the floating of the Naira and tax reforms, which he argued are being implemented without proper sequencing and coordination.
He also criticised the government’s handling of multiple budgets, arguing that the combined effect of the policies has contributed to inflation and rising costs of goods and services.
Obi attributed what he described as increasing multidimensional poverty, business closures, unemployment, insecurity, widening inequality and youth migration to the economic pressures arising from the policies.
He also said the policies had weakened the general well-being of Nigerians, insisting that the government should assess their impact before introducing temporary relief measures.
The former Anambra State governor called for a detailed and publicly available regulatory impact assessment of government policies, arguing that such an exercise would help identify their effects and guide necessary adjustments.
He said a government committed to sustainable economic growth should engage stakeholders and ordinary citizens in consultations to develop inclusive policies that improve living conditions and expand economic opportunities.
Questioning the objectives of the petrol discount, Obi asked whether it would increase productivity and exports or whether it was intended to determine if the subsidy should be restored.
“Will it reduce poverty, unemployment, insecurity, and inequality? Will it increase productivity and exports? Is it a test to ascertain if subsidy should be restored? Is it another political gambit in the face of threats of electoral loss in the 2027 election?” he asked.
“Too many questions, no answer!” the former Governor of Anambra State added.
