Shettima Meets UN Chief, Reaffirms Nigeria’s Bid For Permanent Security Council Seat

Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima has restated the country’s determination to secure a
permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) during a meeting with UN
Secretary-General António Guterres in New York.

The meeting, held on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly (UNGA80) on September
26, 2025, highlighted Nigeria’s call for reforms that would give Africa stronger representation in
global decision-making. Shettima told Guterres that Nigeria is “ready to take on greater
responsibility” in advancing peace, security, and sustainable development.

Beyond the Security Council bid, discussions touched on:
* Democracy and Governance: Nigeria’s leadership in Africa’s stability.
* Climate and SDGs: Commitments to climate action and development goals.
* Artificial Intelligence: Nigeria’s launch of a multilingual AI model to boost Africa’s
digital future.
* Humanitarian Issues: Expanding social protection for millions, while warning about
cuts to World Food Programme support for 1.3 million Nigerians.

Earlier the same day, Shettima also met with UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, where
both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in trade, defense, and migration policy.

Nigeria has long argued that the UNSC, currently dominated by five permanent members (US,
UK, France, China, Russia), no longer reflects global realities. With over 1.4 billion people,
Africa remains without permanent representation. Many African states back reform, and Nigeria
is positioning itself as the continent’s strongest candidate.

While major reform faces procedural hurdles, Abuja’s renewed diplomatic push underscores its
ambition to transform regional leadership into global influence.

By Oyinkansola Shittu.

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