Nigeria has renewed its call for Africa to be given at least two permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council, with the same veto powers enjoyed by existing permanent members.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima made the demand while presenting President Bola Tinubu’s national statement at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Nigeria also backed the allocation of five non-permanent seats to Africa, reflecting the continent’s established position on reforming the Security Council.
Nigeria pushes for permanent African representation
Shettima argued that the present structure of the Security Council does not adequately reflect the geopolitical realities of the modern world and has weakened confidence in global decision-making institutions.
He said the distribution of power established after the Second World War could no longer fully represent the international community in 2026.
According to the Vice-President, Africa should not continue to be excluded from permanent membership of the Council despite the significant attention given to conflicts and other issues affecting the continent.
He said Nigeria’s position is based on the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration, which form the basis of the African Union’s Common African Position on Security Council reform.
Under the position, African countries are seeking at least two permanent seats with all privileges attached to permanent membership, including veto powers for as long as the veto remains part of the Council’s structure. The continent is also seeking five non-permanent seats.
Shettima said meaningful reform is necessary to make global institutions more representative and restore confidence in multilateral cooperation at a time of increasing geopolitical tensions.
Nigeria reaffirms support for multilateral cooperation
The Vice-President also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the UN Charter, international law and peaceful resolution of disputes.
He highlighted Nigeria’s contributions to peacekeeping and conflict-resolution efforts in countries including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Mali and The Gambia.
Shettima said Nigeria continues to support regional efforts through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), African Union and Gulf of Guinea initiatives, particularly in areas such as mediation, counter-terrorism, democratic governance and maritime security.
He said ongoing conflicts, including the war in Sudan, require stronger diplomatic efforts because of their humanitarian, economic and wider geopolitical implications.
The Vice-President also cautioned against the use of propaganda in conflicts, saying it can make it more difficult to distinguish victims from aggressors and undermine efforts to establish accountability.
How the UN Security Council works
The United Nations Security Council has 15 members. Five are permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — while 10 non-permanent members are elected for two-year terms.
The five permanent members have veto powers, meaning any one of them can prevent the adoption of a substantive Security Council resolution.
Africa currently has no permanent representation on the Council.
Nigeria has previously advocated for permanent African representation. In September 2025, former Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar said Nigeria would intensify efforts to secure a permanent African seat, citing the continent’s Common African Position.
The United States also expressed support in 2024 for the creation of two permanent African seats but opposed extending veto powers to any new permanent members.
Any major restructuring of the Security Council would require an amendment to the UN Charter, including approval by two-thirds of the General Assembly and ratification by the required member states, including the existing permanent members.
