- After delegating representation for two years, President Bola Tinubu is set to attend the 81st UN General Assembly (UNGA) session this September.
- Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Jimoh Ibrahim, confirmed the President’s attendance, announcing that Tinubu will address the assembly on domestic reform successes.
- Under a direct mandate from Tinubu, Nigeria will collaborate with the UN to design and implement a new border policing framework across West Africa.
President Bola Tinubu has confirmed his attendance at the upcoming 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this September.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the development marks a significant return to the premier multilateral gathering, ending the President’s two-year absence from the annual diplomatic event.
EDITOR’S PICK
- Why Africa Still Cannot Win the FIFA World Cup Despite Its World Class Talent
- Man Allegedly Slits Father’s Throat, Mutilates Body in Anambra
- Lagos Court Convicts Director, Company Over N822.4m Fraudulent Conversion
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Jimoh Ibrahim, disclosed the plans on Wednesday after briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Ibrahim, who serves as the Chairman of the UN Budget Committee, met with the President over Tuesday and Wednesday to finalize arrangements.
According to Ibrahim, President Tinubu’s national address to the assembly is scheduled for approximately 10:45 a.m. New York time (3:45 p.m. Nigerian time). This timing ensures that citizens across Nigeria can watch the live broadcast during normal waking hours.
The address will highlight the progress and milestones achieved through recent domestic policy and economic reforms.
An interesting highlight of the trip involves seating logistics. Reliable diplomatic sources have noted that President Tinubu’s assigned seat in the front row of the General Assembly Hall will place him just two seats away from United States President Donald Trump.
While no formal bilateral meeting is officially locked in, the close proximity makes a spontaneous high-level exchange between both leaders highly anticipated.
The dynamic carries additional weight following Washington’s late 2025 redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” regarding religious freedom, which the Tinubu administration has expressed a willingness to address collaboratively.
Beyond his main address, President Tinubu is scheduled to participate in a carefully curated list of high-profile side events.
Key engagements will focus on power and energy infrastructure, education reforms, and healthcare facility management.
On the security front, Ibrahim revealed that the President issued clear directives regarding regional border security. Tinubu plans to leverage the UN platform to establish a robust border policing framework aimed at addressing porous boundaries throughout West Africa.
Ibrahim noted that the UN will look into West Africa as a primary case study to design regional peacekeeping and policing strategies.
The September visit will be Tinubu’s first personal appearance at UNGA since 2023.
In 2024, the President remained in Nigeria to oversee domestic recovery efforts following devastating seasonal floods, delegating Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead the delegation. Vice President Shettima also represented Nigeria at the 80th session in 2025.
