Nigeria has demanded at least two permanent seats for Africa on the United Nations Security Council, including veto powers, as it renewed calls for a major reform of the global body.
The demand was made by Vice President Kashim Shettima while delivering President Bola Tinubu’s national statement at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday.
Shettima said the current structure of the Security Council no longer reflected contemporary geopolitical realities, arguing that Africa could not continue to play a major role in international affairs while remaining without permanent representation on the council.
“The reform of this institution must begin with the reconstitution of the Security Council, for the world of 2026 cannot remain captive to the distribution of power in 1945,” Tinubu said in the statement delivered by Shettima.
Nigeria called for at least two permanent African seats with all the rights and responsibilities attached to permanent membership, including veto powers for as long as the veto remains part of the council’s structure.
The country also demanded five non-permanent seats for Africa, aligning its position with the African Union’s Common African Position on Security Council reform, contained in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration.
The Security Council currently has 15 members. China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States are the five permanent members, each with veto power over substantive resolutions. The remaining 10 members are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.
Africa currently has three non-permanent seats but no permanent representation on the council.
Nigeria’s renewed demand comes amid broader calls for changes to the structure of the United Nations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also argued that the absence of permanent African representation is no longer defensible, saying the Security Council needs to reflect present-day geopolitical realities.
The African Union’s position seeks at least two permanent seats with the same rights and privileges as existing permanent members, including veto powers if the veto is retained, alongside five non-permanent seats for the continent.
In his address, Tinubu said Nigeria’s position was also informed by the country’s contributions to international peace and security. He cited Nigeria’s involvement in peacekeeping and mediation efforts in countries including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Mali and The Gambia.
He said Nigeria remained committed to democratic governance, counter-terrorism, maritime security and mediation through organisations including the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union.
The President also called for greater international cooperation in addressing conflicts, particularly in Sudan and other areas affected by war. He urged parties to conflicts to respect international humanitarian and human rights law, protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access.
Beyond Security Council reform, Nigeria used its UNGA address to call for changes to the international financial system, wider access to concessional financing and debt sustainability frameworks that take the development needs of poorer countries into account.
Tinubu also called for more equitable climate financing, saying developing countries should be able to pursue industrialisation, poverty reduction and expanded energy access while addressing climate change.
On Africa’s economic future, he urged the continent to move beyond the export of raw materials by expanding manufacturing, value addition, technological innovation and intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The President further said Nigeria supported the use of artificial intelligence for development, including in healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and economic productivity.
Nigeria’s call for permanent African representation is expected to remain part of wider diplomatic efforts to reform the Security Council. However, any amendment to the UN Charter would require broad support among UN member states as well as ratification by the existing permanent members.
For now, the African Union maintains a common position on seeking two permanent seats and five non-permanent seats, while the question of which African countries would occupy any future permanent positions remains unresolved.
The latest Nigerian demand therefore forms part of a broader African campaign to alter a Security Council structure that was established around the balance of power that existed after the Second World War and to give the continent a permanent role in decisions concerning international peace and security.
