Nigeria seeks 2 permanent UN Security Council seats for Africa

Nigeria has called for the creation of at least two permanent seats for Africa on the UN Security Council, including veto powers, as it renewed its push for reform of the global body.

Vice President Kashim Shettima made the demand Thursday while delivering President Bola Tinubu’s national statement at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Shettima said the current structure of the Security Council no longer reflected contemporary geopolitical realities and argued that Africa should have permanent representation in the body responsible for maintaining international peace and security.

“The world of 2026 cannot remain captive to the distribution of power in 1945,” he said, according to Nigeria’s state-run News Agency of Nigeria, on Friday.

“Nigeria demands, in accordance with the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte 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.”

The African Union's common position calls for at least two permanent seats for the continent with full privileges, including the veto, alongside five non-permanent seats.

The African Union reaffirmed the position in May, saying Africa's exclusion from permanent representation constituted a historical imbalance and called for stronger coordination among African states to advance the reform agenda.

Africa currently has no permanent representative on the 15-member Security Council. The council has five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — while 10 other members are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.

Nigeria has repeatedly campaigned for a permanent African seat and has cited its population, economic weight, diplomatic role and contributions to international peacekeeping as grounds for a stronger role in global decision-making.

In his address, Shettima also pointed to Nigeria's participation in peace operations and regional efforts through the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union.

He said Nigeria had contributed to peace operations and diplomatic efforts in countries including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Mali and The Gambia, while continuing to support initiatives on counterterrorism, democratic governance and maritime security.

Nigeria's renewed call comes amid broader international discussions on reforming the Security Council, whose permanent membership has remained unchanged since its establishment in the aftermath of World War II.

The reform process requires broad support among UN member states and agreement on changes to the UN Charter, making the expansion of permanent membership a complex diplomatic issue.

Nigeria has previously said it would continue engaging African and international partners in support of the continent's common position on Security Council reform.