Vice President Kashim Shettima is scheduled to present Nigeria’s national statement at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday, representing President Bola Tinubu.
According to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, the address will take place between 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. local time in New York. The statement is expected to highlight multilateral cooperation, UN reforms, climate action, and restructuring of global financial systems, among other issues.
At last year’s UNGA, President Tinubu used the same platform to call for permanent African representation on the UN Security Council — a proposal currently under review.
Earlier on Tuesday, Vice President Shettima attended the Assembly’s opening session where U.S. President Donald Trump officially welcomed global leaders. He also held a bilateral meeting with Namibia’s President, Nandi-Ndaitwah, who pledged to pay an official visit to Nigeria.
The Namibian leader, who took office on March 21, 2025, commended Nigeria’s diplomatic contributions to her country, saying: “All the Nigerian diplomats were basically Namibians, helping in so many ways.” She further noted that UNGA provided an opportunity to engage directly with Vice President Shettima, adding: “I will still find time to come physically and introduce myself to the President.”
Responding, Shettima reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to stronger ties with Namibia, stating: “We are all Africans, and the Nigeria–Namibia relationship should be taken to the next level, beyond where it is now.”
The bilateral session was attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; and Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, along with senior Namibian officials.
In another engagement, Vice President Shettima met with a delegation from the Gates Foundation led by CEO Mark Suzman. He expressed gratitude for the Foundation’s work in healthcare, agriculture, and financial inclusion, while urging for expanded investment in Nigeria.
“In the Gates Foundation, we have a partner that we trust and believe in. If all high-net-worth individuals made even half the investment Bill Gates has made, the world would be a better place. Kindly convey the highest regards of my boss, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to Mr Gates,” Shettima said.
He emphasized Nigeria’s ambition to achieve annual economic growth of at least 7% in the coming years, anchored on stability, productivity, and targeted investment in key sectors.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, also called for greater focus on education. He urged the Foundation to expand support into technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. “Now I think there is more focus on education, so I am seeking enhanced support in that area to bolster our foundational education. We don’t have adequate support at all,” he said.
Responding, Suzman assured of the Foundation’s continued partnership, noting its recent progress in digital identity and financial inclusion initiatives in Nigeria. “Nigeria is really one of our strongest partnerships on the African continent, and I’m looking forward to hearing from you about where and how we might be more helpful while assuring you of our continued support,” he said.
He added that new grants had been signed with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to support related projects. Other senior officials from the Gates Foundation, including Rodger Voorhies, Uche Amaonwu, and Paulin Basinga, were also present at the meeting.
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