Nigeria lobbies G20 leaders for UN permanent seat

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged G20 leaders to support reforms to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), emphasising the need to ensure the council’s continued relevance in addressing global challenges.

Speaking at the 19th G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, President Tinubu reiterated Nigeria’s readiness and capability to represent Africa as a permanent member of the UNSC.

With the African Union’s recent inclusion as a permanent member of the G20, Tinubu called on G20 leaders to champion similar reforms at the United Nations, advocating for Africa to have a stronger voice in global decision-making.

He stressed that a restructured UNSC would better reflect the current geopolitical realities and ensure equitable representation.

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Tinubu said, “The Security Council should expand its permanent and non-permanent member categories to reflect the world’s diversity and plurality.

“Africa deserves priority in this process, and two permanent seats should be allocated to it with equal rights and responsibilities. Nigeria stands ready and willing to serve as a representative of Africa in this capacity.”

The president’s statement, which was read on his behalf by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, noted that the G20 now wears a toga of a forward-looking international institution that upholds reform-minded multilateralism. 

He especially commended the decision by the G20 to grant permanent membership to the African Union and for its consistency in sustaining the tradition of inviting guest countries to join the group.  

Tinubu also commended the creation of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, championed by President Luiz Lula da Silva of Brazil, saying the alliance is pivotal in the global fight against hunger and poverty.

The president compared this global initiative to one of the eight priority areas he outlined at his inauguration 18 months ago, expressing Nigeria’s eagerness to adopt international best practices to advance its economic development.

According to President Tinubu, Nigeria’s endorsement of the declaration of commitment to join the global alliance is a significant step in its efforts to address hunger and poverty by leveraging international cooperation and resources to bolster domestic strategies.

He added that by supporting the initiative, Nigeria also demonstrates a solid commitment to realising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1, which focuses on eradicating poverty, and SDG 2, which aims to achieve zero hunger.