Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Nigeria following a six-day official visit to New York, where he represented President Bola Tinubu at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81).
Shettima had departed Abuja on September 20 after being mandated by the President to lead the country’s delegation to the annual global gathering.
During the visit, the Vice President delivered Nigeria’s national statement at the General Debate, renewing the nation’s advocacy for comprehensive reforms to the UN Security Council.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, Nigeria pushed for permanent African representation on the UN Security Council, alongside fairer global financial systems, enhanced climate support, and deeper multilateral cooperation.
Shettima also represented President Tinubu at the Third High-Level Roundtable of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group.
There, Nigeria urged African nations to transition away from exporting raw minerals and prioritize domestic processing, manufacturing, and value addition.
Education and economic investments featured prominently on the Vice President’s agenda. At a high-level education financing event co-hosted by Nigeria and Italy, Shettima reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to human capital development and threw Nigeria’s weight behind the Global Partnership for Education’s $5 billion financing campaign.
He emphasized that education serves as “a critical investment in productivity, human capital, and national prosperity.” Furthermore, he met with members of the Nigerian diaspora to underscore the vital role their investments, technical expertise, and global networks play in driving home-country development.
On the sidelines of the summit, Shettima conducted crucial strategic meetings with international and regional leaders, including the new leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed.
These bilateral discussions centered on expanding development financing, strengthening regional integration, fostering economic cooperation, leveraging technology, and addressing regional peace and security concerns.
The Vice President’s return to Abuja concludes Nigeria’s diplomatic mission at this year’s UNGA, which convened world leaders and senior policymakers to address critical issues surrounding global development, security, climate action, and multilateral governance.
Nigeria’s engagements throughout the 81st session operated under the central theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”
