Nigeria, UK to deepen ties on trade, defence, migration
Tinubu’s agenda places digital inclusion, youth empowerment at the core
Nigeria intensified its diplomatic push for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council as Vice President Kashim Shettima met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday at UN headquarters.
Shettima urged the UN to back Nigeria’s ambition, stressing that “we are aspiring to become a permanent member of the Security Council” and calling for greater support to strengthen Nigeria’s role in global peace and development.
The talks also covered the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate change, regional security, and fresh collaborations with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar said Guterres praised Nigeria’s push for stronger representation at the Security Council, while Communications Minister Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani disclosed that the UN chief was “extremely happy” about Nigeria’s landmark release of the continent’s first government-backed multilingual AI model.
“He even urged Nigeria to support other African nations so the continent does not get left behind in artificial intelligence,” Tijani revealed.
The Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, highlighted Nigeria’s progress on poverty reduction, citing over 8.1 million citizens reached through conditional cash transfers. He also acknowledged funding gaps in UN relief programmes, noting that the World Food Programme currently assists 1.3 million Nigerians. Guterres, he said, pledged continued support to strengthen Nigeria’s social safety nets.
Earlier, Shettima met UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, with both sides vowing to deepen cooperation in trade, economy, defence, and migration.
At the UNICEF-hosted Global Leadership Council Meeting, Shettima championed digital empowerment for youths and women, describing them as the “backbone of society” and central to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s governance vision.
The series of high-level engagements, analysts say, underscores Nigeria’s growing profile on the global stage and its determination to shape international discourse from digital inclusion to global security.
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