Nigeria set to address UN General Assembly Thursday

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Nigeria is set to address the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, September 24, with Vice-President Kashim Shettima expected to deliver the country’s national statement for the third consecutive year.

According to an updated provisional speakers’ schedule obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigeria is listed fourth in the afternoon session of the General Debate.

The session is scheduled to begin at 3pm New York time and end at 9pm. Shettima is expected to speak between 4pm and 4:30pm, which is between 9pm and 9:30pm Nigerian time.

The Vice-President’s appearance will mark the third consecutive year he has represented Nigeria at the General Debate of the UN General Assembly.

Nigeria’s appearance on Thursday will place its national statement on the third day of the General Debate, one of the major events of the UN high-level week.

President Bola Tinubu was initially scheduled as the eighth speaker for the Wednesday morning session after being moved up from the 10th position.

Under UN protocol, presidents are given priority to address the high-level General Debate before vice-presidents, prime ministers and ministers.

NAN reports that Tinubu, on Sunday, directed Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Shettima will join 73 heads of state, 45 heads of government, 49 ministers, 11 vice-presidents and one crown prince participating in the high-level week of the 81st General Assembly.

Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice-President, said Shettima would deliver Nigeria’s national statement and outline the country’s positions on major international issues.

Thursday’s appearance will be the third consecutive General Assembly at which Shettima represents Tinubu during the General Debate.

He represented the President at the 79th Session in 2024 and delivered Nigeria’s national statement at the 80th Session in 2025.

Tinubu personally addressed the 78th Session of the General Assembly in September 2023, a few months after assuming office as president.

With the latest schedule, Shettima will have represented Tinubu at the annual gathering of world leaders in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

The Presidency said the Vice-President would lead a high-level delegation comprising Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, ministers and other senior government officials.

Apart from delivering Nigeria’s national statement, Shettima is expected to participate in high-level meetings on issues of strategic importance to Nigeria and Africa.

He will also hold bilateral meetings with foreign leaders, international organisations and development partners on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

The 81st UN General Debate opens on Tuesday, September 22, and will continue through Saturday before concluding on Monday, September 28.

The annual debate provides heads of state, heads of government and other senior representatives an opportunity to present their national priorities to the international community.

The theme of the 81st Session is “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all.”

The session is being presided over by Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh, President of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly.

The General Assembly comprises all 193 UN member states, with each state having equal representation in the UN’s principal deliberative and policymaking body.