President Bola Tinubu has cautioned the United Nations (UN) and global leaders that the organisation risks losing its relevance unless it undergoes sweeping institutional reforms to reflect present global realities.
Delivering a strongly worded reform proposal to the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York—through Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented him—Tinubu criticised the UN’s record in addressing major international crises, describing the persistent human suffering in conflict zones such as the Middle East as “stains on our collective humanity.”
According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, Tinubu said the UN’s credibility has been weakened by the gap between its promises and its actions. He noted that in recent years, critical discussions on global issues have increasingly shifted away from the General Assembly, sidelining the voices of heads of state.
“Some years ago, I noticed a shift at this gathering: key events were beginning to take place outside this hall, and the most sought-after voices were no longer heads of state,” Tinubu observed.
Nigeria’s Push for Permanent Security Council Seat
Tinubu renewed Nigeria’s longstanding demand for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, stressing that such inclusion must be part of a wider process of institutional reform.
“The United Nations will recover its relevance only when it reflects the world as it is, not as it was,” he declared.
He highlighted Nigeria’s evolution from a colonial territory of 20 million people excluded from global decision-making to a sovereign state of over 236 million citizens—soon to become the world’s third most populous nation with one of the youngest and most dynamic populations.
Reform Priorities and Global Issues
The President outlined four key reform demands, beginning with Security Council restructuring, but also extending to nuclear disarmament, arms proliferation, fairer global trade and finance systems, and accelerated action on peace and security challenges.
“These are stains on our collective humanity,” he said, urging the international community to close the gap between rhetoric and real progress.
Support for Palestine and Two-State Solution
Tinubu took a firm stance on the Palestinian question, declaring that a two-state solution remains the most dignified and sustainable path to peace.
“The people of Palestine are not collateral damage in a civilisation searching for order. They are human beings, equal in worth, entitled to the same freedoms and dignities that the rest of us take for granted,” he asserted.
Call for Debt Reform and Economic Justice
Addressing economic inequality, Tinubu proposed the creation of a new, binding international mechanism to manage sovereign debt crises—describing it as a kind of “International Court of Justice for money.” Such a system, he argued, would help developing economies escape dependence on raw material exports and achieve structural transformation.
“Debt relief must not be seen as charity but as a clear path to shared peace and prosperity,” he stressed.
Africa’s Role in the Global Economy
Positioning Africa at the centre of future economic stability, Tinubu underscored the importance of African nations retaining control over their critical mineral resources.
“Africa—and Nigeria in particular—has in abundance the critical minerals that will drive the technologies of the future,” he said. “We must benefit fairly from those resources, through investment, local processing, and job creation.”
He warned that the continued export of raw materials without value addition fosters “tension, inequality, and instability.”
Closing the Digital Divide
Turning to the digital economy, Tinubu called for urgent measures to close the digital divide, stressing that emerging economies must not be left behind in the age of artificial intelligence.
Referencing the UN Secretary-General’s vision, he added: “‘A.I.’ must stand for ‘Africa Included.’”
Nigeria’s Economic Reforms as a Model
Tinubu acknowledged the challenges Nigerians are currently facing due to his government’s economic restructuring policies, including the removal of subsidies and foreign exchange controls. However, he positioned these reforms as difficult but necessary steps to build a resilient economy.
“I believe in the power of the market to transform. Our task is to enable and facilitate, and to trust in the ingenuity and enterprise of the people. But the process of transition is difficult,” he admitted.
Countering Terrorism and Extremism
On security, Tinubu reiterated that Nigeria’s fight against violent extremism is not only a military struggle but also an ideological one.
“Military tactics may win battles measured in months and years, but in wars that span generations, it is values and ideas that deliver the ultimate victory,” he noted.
Reaffirmation of Nigeria’s Global Commitment
Tinubu concluded by reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to multilateralism, peace, development, unity, and the defence of human rights.
“Nigeria’s commitment to peace, to development, to unity, to multilateralism, and to the defence of human rights is beyond compromise. For none of us is safe until all of us are safe,” he said.
He warned global leaders that failure to implement meaningful reforms would only accelerate the UN’s decline in influence:
“We must make real change, change that works, and change that is seen to work. If we fail, the direction of travel is already predictable.”
