Nigeria has renewed its call for at least two permanent African seats on the UN Security Council, with veto rights, as part of wider efforts to reform the body.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, made the demand during the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, arguing that the Council’s structure should reflect today’s global political and demographic realities rather than the power balance established after World War II.
Nigeria is backing the African Union’s common position, which calls for at least two permanent seats for Africa with the same rights and privileges as existing permanent members, including the veto for as long as it remains in place, alongside five non-permanent seats.
The Security Council currently has 15 members, including five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The five permanent members hold veto power.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also called for Security Council reform, describing Africa’s continued absence from the permanent membership as “indefensible” during the opening of the 81st General Assembly.
Nigeria’s latest call comes as negotiations on Security Council reform continue, with the African Union maintaining that greater representation is central to making the Council more inclusive and representative.
