Nigeria has called for the reform of the United Nations Security Council, demanding at least two permanent seats for Africa with all the rights and responsibilities of permanent membership, including the veto, for as long as it exists.

Vice President Kashim Shettima made the demand while addressing the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Shettima, who delivered Nigeria’s statement on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, congratulated the President of the 81st Session of the General Assembly and pledged Nigeria’s full cooperation with the United Nations.

He said the persistence of conflicts across the world underscored the need for the UN to return to its founding principles of dialogue, mutual respect and collective responsibility.

According to him, Nigeria remains committed to the UN Charter and to a world where diplomacy prevails over coercion, cooperation over isolation, and international law over arbitrary exercise of power.

The Vice President said reform of the UN must begin with the reconstitution of the Security Council, arguing that the world of 2026 cannot remain captive to the distribution of power in 1945.

He said Africa could no longer continue to feature prominently on the Council’s agenda while remaining absent from its permanent membership.

“Nigeria demands, in accordance with the Consensus and the Declaration, at least two permanent seats for Africa, with all the rights and responsibilities of permanent membership, including the veto, for as long as it exists, and five non-permanent seats in total,” he said.

Shettima said Nigeria was ready to assume greater responsibility based on the obligations it had honoured and sacrifices it had made over decades in the service of peace.

He cited Nigeria’s contributions in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali and The Gambia, saying the country had committed personnel and resources when international solidarity required action.

He added that through ECOWAS, the African Union and Gulf of Guinea partnerships, Nigeria continued to advance mediation, democratic governance, counter-terrorism and maritime security.

On the economy, Shettima said Nigeria’s foreign policy was guided by the same conviction underpinning its economic reforms, including sound macroeconomic management, stronger institutions, private-sector development and strategic public investment.

He said the country was seeking to give practical meaning to its sustainable development commitments while linking national advancement to Africa’s progress and its contribution to a peaceful, equitable and prosperous world.

Turning to climate change, the Vice President rejected what he described as a false choice between development and climate action.

He said developing countries must industrialise, eradicate poverty and expand energy access through low-carbon pathways supported by technology transfer, capacity building and climate finance.

Shettima said Africa contributes less than four per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions but faces disproportionate consequences from climate change.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the Paris Agreement and an equitable energy transition that reflects historical responsibility and capacity while protecting the right to development.

According to him, Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan targets net-zero emissions by 2060 while expanding access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy.

He said the country’s approach combines renewable energy, clean cooking, gas as a transitional fuel, climate-smart agriculture and nature-based solutions.

Shettima also called for climate finance to be governed by equity and shared responsibility rather than charity, with international commitments translated into accessible, predictable and adequately funded mechanisms.

On technology and artificial intelligence, the Vice President said Nigeria would not surrender its technological future to fear.

He said artificial intelligence could either be deployed to wage war or used to transform healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and economic productivity.

Shettima said Nigeria was investing in digital public infrastructure, broadband connectivity, innovation systems, research institutions and technology entrepreneurship.

He urged the international community to work with Nigeria’s young people to direct artificial intelligence towards human advancement rather than destruction.

The Vice President also called for reforms to the international financial architecture, wider access to concessional financing and debt-sustainability frameworks that recognise the developmental needs of developing countries.

He said Nigeria supports innovative financing through private capital, blended finance, South-South cooperation and strategic partnerships for sustainable development, climate adaptation and resilient infrastructure.