By Atoyebi Nike
Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for Nigeria to be granted a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, describing it as a matter of fairness, representation, and credibility for the global body.
Delivering Nigeria’s statement at the general debate of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Shettima argued that Africa’s continued underrepresentation undermines the UN’s relevance.
“The United Nations will recover its relevance only when it reflects the world as it is, not as it was. When the UN was founded, we were a colony of 20 million, absent from the tables where decisions about our fate were taken. Today, we are a sovereign nation of over 236 million, projected to be the third most populous country in the world,” he said.
Shettima stressed that Nigeria’s case was backed by its record as a regional stabiliser and peacekeeping contributor, citing participation in 51 out of 60 UN missions since independence. He added that Nigeria’s role in the Multinational Joint Task Force exemplifies its enduring commitment to security in Africa.
He also highlighted other urgent reforms, including sovereign debt relief, fairer access to trade and financing, and equitable benefit-sharing from natural resources. On technology, he urged bridging the digital divide, declaring that artificial intelligence must stand for “Africa Included.”
On sovereignty, Shettima reminded global leaders that no nation can secure peace in isolation. “Sovereignty is a covenant of shared responsibility… we must follow the trails of weapons, of money, and of people, for these ignite the fires of conflict across our region,” he said.
He concluded that while military tactics may win short-term battles, it is values and ideas that win wars spanning generations.
