Shettima, UN Chief Discuss Security Council Bid, Partnerships
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Friday met with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in New York, pressing Nigeria’s case for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and seeking deeper collaboration with the UN system on democracy, security, and development.
Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80), Shettima told Guterres that Nigeria expected stronger backing from the UN in its quest for permanent Security Council membership, stressing that the country “aspires to become a permanent member” and deserves greater recognition for its global contributions.
The meeting also focused on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), tackling climate change, and expanding partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to strengthen regional peace and democratic resilience.
Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who briefed journalists after the engagement, confirmed that the UN Secretary-General commended Nigeria’s push for greater representation, while acknowledging the country’s pivotal role on the continent.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, disclosed that Guterres lauded Nigeria’s progress in artificial intelligence (AI), particularly the government-backed release of Africa’s first multilingual and multimodal large language model. Guterres encouraged Nigeria to support other African states to avoid digital exclusion.
On humanitarian issues, Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, highlighted Nigeria’s presentation of its national social register covering 18.9 million households and ongoing conditional cash transfers to over 8.1 million people. He said Guterres assured Nigeria of UN support to strengthen humanitarian programmes and secure additional funding.
Earlier, Shettima held bilateral talks with UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, where both nations agreed to deepen ties in trade, defence, economy, and migration. The Vice President also addressed the Global Leadership Council at UNICEF headquarters, pledging that Nigeria would harness digital opportunities to empower youths and women.
“Our inclusivity agenda ensures that young people and women are not left behind. They are the backbone of our society and critical to national development,” Shettima said.
The Vice President’s engagements at UNGA80 underscored Nigeria’s dual focus on securing stronger international partnerships while showcasing domestic reforms in digital innovation, humanitarian relief, and inclusive governance.
