Nigeria demands two permanent UNSC seats for Africa with veto power
Vice President Kashim Shettima delivered President Bola Tinubu's national statement at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, demanding at least two permanent seats for Africa on the UN Security Council, each with veto power as long as the privilege exists. He also called for five additional non-permanent seats for the continent, aligning with the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration that form the Common African Position. Shettima argued that the Council's current makeup—unchanged since 1945—does not reflect today's geopolitical realities and undermines the legitimacy of global decisions, especially as Africa continues to feature prominently in the Council's agenda. He noted that Africa's exclusion from permanent representation is a historical imbalance requiring correction, and linked Security Council reform to restoring confidence in multilateralism amid rising divisions. The VP highlighted Nigeria's peacekeeping contributions in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Mali and The Gambia, and its work through ECOWAS, the African Union and Gulf of Guinea mechanisms on mediation, counter-terrorism, democratic governance and maritime security. He urged a return to dialogue and peaceful dispute resolution, citing conflicts in Sudan and elsewhere as needing urgent diplomacy. With the five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the UK and the US) each holding veto power, Africa currently has no permanent seat. The African Union's preferred model provides for at least two permanent African seats with veto, plus five non-permanent seats. How should Nigeria use its diplomatic influence to build continental consensus and push for a UNSC that reflects 21st-century realities?