Tinubu to speak at UNGA September 23 as possible Trump meeting looms

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is scheduled to address world leaders at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) General Debate in New York on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.

According to a provisional list of speakers obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Tinubu is listed as the 10th speaker during the morning session on the second day of the high-level General Debate.

The Nigerian President is expected to speak between 11:30 a.m. and noon New York time, corresponding to between 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Nigerian time.

The General Debate is scheduled to take place from September 22 to September 28 at the UN headquarters in New York, with representatives of all 193 UN member states expected to participate.

More than 150 heads of state and government are expected to attend, alongside vice presidents, deputy prime ministers, ministers and other senior officials.

Tinubu’s UNGA Agenda

The 2026 General Assembly session is being held under the theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”

The session will be presided over by Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh.

Tinubu is expected to participate in several high-level meetings, side events and summits focusing on issues including climate action, sea-level rise and pandemic preparedness.

He is also expected to hold discussions with outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose second term ends on December 31, 2026.

The President may also meet with Nigeria’s Amina Mohammed, the outgoing UN Deputy Secretary-General, who has held the position since 2017.

Nigeria to Push Border Security

Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, confirmed Tinubu’s planned attendance at the General Assembly.

According to Ibrahim, the President’s participation will provide an opportunity to showcase the reforms being implemented by his administration to the international community.

The ambassador also said Nigeria intends to use the UN platform to seek greater international cooperation on border security in West Africa.

He described the region’s porous borders as a major security challenge and said the Federal Government was already working with the UN on a regional border-policing initiative.

“So, border policing will be fine. These are the kind of things that the UN is established for,” Ibrahim said.

The envoy also disclosed that a meeting between Tinubu and U.S. President Donald Trump could take place on the sidelines of the UNGA.

Tinubu Returns to UNGA

Tinubu attended the 78th UN General Assembly in person in 2023, shortly after assuming office.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the 79th and 80th sessions in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

Nigeria retained a prominent speaking position during Shettima’s appearances, with the country securing day-one slots through diplomatic engagements by its Permanent Mission to the UN.

The 81st UN General Assembly session will formally open on September 8, while the high-level General Debate will run from September 22 to September 28.

The annual gathering brings together world leaders and senior government officials to deliberate on major global issues, including climate change, sustainable development, international peace and security.

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