Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to deliver his address at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) during the high-level General Debate on Wednesday, 24 September 2025.
According to a revised provisional list of speakers obtained from the UN headquarters in New York, President Tinubu will speak on the second day of the event.
He is scheduled to address fellow world leaders during the afternoon session at approximately 8:30 pm local time (around 2:30 pm Nigerian time). He will be the 17th speaker on day two of the General Debate.
The General Debate brings together 195 world leaders, including 98 heads of state, five vice presidents, 44 heads of government, and four deputy prime ministers, alongside ministers, chairs of delegations, and others. The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, traditionally opens the session, followed by the United States President, Donald Trump, as the host nation’s representative.
Sources at the UN noted that the speaking schedule is subject to change, especially if President Tinubu is unable to attend in person. Traditionally, heads of state speak during the first two days, with vice presidents speaking from the third day onwards.
In 2024, Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented President Tinubu, speaking on the first day of the debate—a rare departure from UN tradition, attributed to Nigeria’s strong diplomatic standing and skilful manoeuvring by Nigerian diplomats at the UN.
The theme for the 80th Session of the General Assembly is “Better Together: 80 years and more for peace, development, and human rights.” The session opened on 9 September with the inauguration of the new UNGA President, Annalena Baerbock of Germany, the fifth woman to hold the position. Baerbock urged member states to unite in tackling global challenges including war, poverty, and climate change.
The high-level week runs from 22 to 30 September and features a series of important conferences, including the High-level Meeting commemorating the UN’s 80th anniversary, the SDG Moment, a Conference on Palestine and the Two-State Solution, a Climate Summit, and a High-Level Meeting on AI Governance.
President Tinubu’s participation is expected to highlight Nigeria’s role on the global stage as it continues to engage with issues of peace, development, and human rights.
