Ahead of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to the UN Charter and the UN-80 Reform Agenda, while renewing calls for Africa’s permanent representation on the UN Security Council.

Speaking during an interview with ARISE News on Thursday, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, said the country’s recommitment to the UN reflects confidence in the organisation and its future role in maintaining global peace.

He explained that Nigeria signed the recommitment on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, stressing that the country remains firmly committed to international peace and cooperation.

Ambassador Ibrahim strongly criticised Africa’s exclusion from permanent membership of the Security Council, describing it as unjust given the continent’s global demographic weight.

“It is quite unjust, very unheard of to say that Africa, who has a population of 25 percent of the entire world, have no seats in the Security Council of the United Nations,” he said.

He added that Africa’s lack of representation has contributed to insecurity on the continent, arguing that the structure of global decision-making must reflect present-day realities rather than the post-1945 order.

According to him, “we are thinking that one of the reasons why we have insecurity in Africa is because Africa is not represented… because if you understand the working of the United Nations Security Council, it means a lot.”

The Nigerian envoy insisted that reforms are overdue, noting that Africa’s 54 countries must have a voice at the highest level of global security governance.

“Now that we are in the contemporary 21st century, I think Africa must have seats in the UN,” he said.

On Nigeria’s position, Ibrahim said the country is actively pushing for a seat at the Security Council as part of broader efforts to restore its international standing.

“Nigeria is a giant of Africa… we want to return to that glory, and we must have the seats in the Security Council,” he said.

He added that discussions on reform are ongoing within UN structures, and argued that the UN80 reform agenda would lack credibility if Africa remains excluded.

“This seat is imperative to the continuation of the United Nations… and the UN80 reform agenda of the UN will never have a place if Africa has no seat in the Security Council,” he said.

On global security challenges, including wars in Sudan, Gaza and Ukraine, Ibrahim said the Security Council operates within the realities of international politics.

“In international relations, three things are very important: interest, politics, and power,” he said.

He further argued that global conflicts reflect deeper geopolitical tensions and that stability depends on the balance among major powers.

Nigeria’s call for reform is expected to feature prominently in discussions at the upcoming UN General Assembly session in New York. (Arise News)

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