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Vice President Kashim Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, September 24, representing President Bola Tinubu at the high-level General Debate.
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Nigeria is scheduled as the fourth speaker in Thursday afternoon’s session, with Shettima expected to address the General Assembly between 4 pm and 4:30 pm New York time, equivalent to 9 pm and 9:30 pm Nigerian time.
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The appearance will be Shettima’s third consecutive representation of President Tinubu at the UN General Debate, after delivering Nigeria’s national statement at the 79th and 80th sessions in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
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Shettima is leading a high-level Nigerian delegation that includes Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, ministers and other senior government officials, with bilateral engagements and meetings with international leaders and development partners also scheduled.
September 21, (THEWILL) – Vice President Kashim Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, September 24, after President Bola Tinubu mandated him to lead the country’s delegation to the annual gathering.
THEWILL reports that a provisional speakers’ schedule has listed Nigeria fourth in the afternoon session of the General Debate on Thursday, the third day of the high-level proceedings.
The afternoon session is scheduled to begin at 3 pm New York time and run until 9 pm. Shettima is expected to take the podium between 4 pm and 4:30 pm local time, corresponding to 9 pm and 9:30 pm Nigerian time.
The United Nations General Debate is the principal annual platform where Heads of State, Heads of Government and other senior representatives present their countries’ priorities and positions on major international issues. According to the United Nations, the 81st General Debate will be held from September 22 to 26 and September 28.
Third Consecutive Representation
Shettima’s appearance on Thursday will mark the third consecutive General Assembly at which he has represented President Tinubu during the General Debate. He represented Tinubu at the 79th Session in 2024 and again delivered Nigeria’s national statement at the 80th Session in 2025.
Tinubu personally addressed the 78th Session of the General Assembly in September 2023, a few months after assuming office as President.
With the latest arrangement, Shettima will, therefore, have represented the President at the annual high-level gathering of world leaders in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
The Presidency had announced on Sunday that Tinubu had directed Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st Session in New York. The announcement ended uncertainty over the President’s attendance at this year’s General Assembly.
The Vice-President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, said Shettima would deliver Nigeria’s national statement and present the country’s positions on major international issues.
The delegation, led by Shettima, includes Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara; Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal; federal ministers and other senior government officials.
Beyond the national statement, the Vice-President is expected to participate in high-level meetings and engagements on issues of strategic importance to Nigeria and Africa.
He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with foreign leaders, representatives of international organisations and development partners on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
The presence of Fubara in the delegation places Rivers State among the sub-national governments represented at the high-level diplomatic gathering, while Lawal’s participation adds another state-level representation to the Nigerian team.
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, has also said the country would be adequately represented at the gathering despite Tinubu’s absence, noting that a significant proportion of countries participating in the General Debate are represented by vice-presidents or foreign ministers.
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Nigeria’s Position At Global Forum
Shettima’s address will provide the Federal Government with an opportunity to articulate Nigeria’s priorities before the international community at a time when the UN General Assembly is focusing on global cooperation, sustainable development, peace and security, and other interconnected challenges.
The theme of the 81st Session is “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all.”
The UN said the theme reflects the need to strengthen international cooperation and address global challenges through collective action. The General Debate brings together senior representatives of member states to outline national positions and priorities.
The 81st Session is being presided over by Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh, President of the UN General Assembly.
The UN General Assembly comprises all 193 UN Member States and serves as the organisation’s principal deliberative and policymaking body, with each member state represented in the Assembly.
The 2026 high-level week features the General Debate alongside several high-level meetings addressing major international issues.
The UN’s official programme shows that the General Debate runs from September 22 to 26 and resumes on September 28. Other high-level meetings during the week include discussions on the right to development, climate action and a just transition, sea-level rise, pandemic prevention and preparedness, and the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.
The General Assembly provides Nigeria and other member states with an important diplomatic platform to engage directly with world leaders and international institutions.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
