Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in New York, United States, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which runs from Monday, September 22 to Sunday, September 28, 2025.
During the week-long summit, Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement at the UN headquarters, join world leaders in the high-level debates, and participate in several side events. Ahead of his engagements, he received briefings from key ministers and senior officials.
Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to “effective multilateralism, stronger global partnerships, and reforms of the international financial and security systems.”
The Vice President is also expected to unveil Nigeria’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, attend the Global Champions Roundtable on Adequate and Affordable Housing, and engage in bilateral talks with world leaders. His schedule includes joining the African Union Peace and Security Council session and holding discussions with Sudan’s Prime Minister.
Shettima was welcomed to New York by Ambassador Tuggar; Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji; Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, Ambassador Samson Itegboje; and senior military attachés.
Tuggar, speaking on Nigeria’s priorities, stressed the country’s leadership role in championing the proposed United Nations Global Convention on Taxation, which he described as central to the ongoing push for financial reforms. He further reiterated Nigeria’s position on Africa’s representation at the UN Security Council.
“We want to ensure Africa secures a minimum of two permanent seats. Nigeria has participated in more than 60 UN peacekeeping operations, and we must ensure fair recognition of our contributions, both in troops and funding,” Tuggar said.
On the sidelines of UNGA, Nigeria will host an Investment Day to highlight opportunities in sectors such as solid minerals, agriculture, telecommunications, and technology.
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani said the initiative was designed to reposition Nigeria as “an investment destination and one of Africa’s leading economies.”
Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Olajumoke Omoniyi Oduwole, added that the programme aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. “The whole idea is to ensure Nigeria’s friends and partners are fully apprised of where we are now, and where we are headed,” she said.
