Tinubu Urges UN Security Council Reform, Calls for Fair Mineral Investment in Landmark Address at 80th UN General Assembly
Story: written by Okafor Joseph September 25,2025
Nigeria has renewed its demand for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declaring that true global representation requires reform of the world body’s most powerful organ.
Vice President Kashim Shettima delivered Nigeria’s national statement on behalf of the president during the general debate at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.
In his wide-ranging address themed “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development, and Human Rights,” Tinubu stressed that Nigeria’s demographic strength, regional influence, and historic role in peacekeeping make its case for permanent membership compelling and urgent.
He also pressed for reforms in sovereign debt management, international trade, and access to financing, warning that developing economies cannot achieve sustainable growth under what he described as the “straitjacket” of debt and primary commodity dependence.
On resource governance, Tinubu emphasized that nations hosting critical minerals must derive direct benefits through investment, local processing, and job creation, noting that the current model of exporting raw resources fuels inequality and instability.
“Africa – and Nigeria in particular – has the critical minerals to power the technologies of the future. But unless those resources translate into prosperity for host nations, conflict and poverty will persist,” he warned.
The president also highlighted the urgency of bridging the global digital divide, calling for inclusive access to technology and artificial intelligence, declaring that “A.I. must stand for Africa Included.”
Addressing security challenges, Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional peace and global multilateralism. He cited Nigeria’s record in 51 peacekeeping missions since independence and reiterated support for a two-state solution in the Middle East, describing it as the most dignified path to lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis.
Tinubu concluded by urging the UN to live up to its founding ideals through bold reforms that reflect the realities of the 21st century. “The United Nations will recover its relevance only when it reflects the world as it is, not as it was,” he said.
