Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, Nigeria’s representative to the United Nations, believes President Bola Tinubu is on track to obtain a permanent seat for the nation on the UN Security Council. Ibrahim highlighted that the President remains dedicated to increasing Africa’s voice within the international organization.
During an appearance on Channels Television, Ibrahim stated that Tinubu frequently addresses the injustice of Africa’s lack of permanent representation. The President has utilized several global platforms to lobby for structural changes that would prioritize Nigeria for a permanent role.
The current Security Council features five permanent members holding veto authority: the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, and China. While Nigeria has previously held non-permanent status five times, the most recent being in 2014-2015, the country continues to push for a permanent position based on its significant economic standing, population, and peacekeeping efforts.
Ibrahim conceded that amending the council’s framework, which was created eight decades ago, is a difficult task. Nevertheless, he remains positive regarding the diplomatic discussions currently underway. He further noted that President Tinubu has engaged with other leaders, such as Ghana’s former President John Mahama, to bolster these efforts and increase African influence in shaping international policy.
