Nigeria says it is stepping up efforts to secure permanent, veto-wielding seats for Africa on the United Nations Security Council, insisting that meaningful reform of global governance is long overdue.
President Bola Tinubu stated this during the first plenary session on Peace, Security, Governance and Multilateralism at the 7th African Union–European Union Summit in Luanda, Angola, where he was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
According to a statement issued by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Tinubu urged the European Union to work with Africa to co-create peace and security solutions. He stressed that sustainable stability can only be achieved when such initiatives are anchored on African-led frameworks.
He cautioned against externally designed security interventions, including the increasing use of private military firms, noting that they have often proved ineffective and undermined national sovereignty.
“It is time for Africa to occupy permanent seats on the UN Security Council, with all attendant privileges, including the veto,” Tinubu said, calling for genuine, text-based negotiations under the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) framework.
The President highlighted the continent’s persistent security challenges — from armed conflict and illicit arms proliferation to climate pressures and irregular migration — noting that these issues require stronger AU–EU cooperation. Nigeria’s own experience, he said, shows that regional instability fuels terrorism, insurgency and organised crime.
Tinubu added that Nigeria’s mix of kinetic and non-kinetic operations, including the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), continues to record progress. He disclosed that more than 120,000 Boko Haram-affiliated individuals, including family members, have surrendered so far in 2025.
He also referenced the recent Sea-Lift Agreement between the Nigerian Navy and the AU Standby Force, describing it as further proof of Nigeria’s commitment to regional peace. The agreement, he said, strengthens Africa’s capacity for rapid deployment in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.
