Nigeria Pushes for Two Permanent UNSC Seats for Africa with Veto
Vice-President Kashim Shettima told the 81st UN General Assembly in New York that Nigeria is demanding at least two permanent seats for Africa on the Security Council, complete with veto powers, plus five non-permanent seats. He delivered President Bola Tinubu’s national statement, arguing that the current council—still reflecting the 1945 power balance—undermines the legitimacy of global decisions and leaves Africa without a voice despite the continent’s issues receiving constant attention. This demand renews Africa’s longstanding Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration position, which calls for two permanent members with all existing privileges. Shettima linked Security Council reform to restoring faith in multilateralism amid rising geopolitical tensions, citing Nigeria’s peacekeeping record in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Mali and The Gambia and its work through ECOWAS, the AU and Gulf of Guinea mechanisms. He warned that unchecked propaganda can blur lines between victims and aggressors, complicating accountability in conflicts such as Sudan. The UN Security Council today has five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the UK and the US) with veto power and ten elected non‑permanent members. Africa holds no permanent seat. Amending the UN Charter to add seats would need approval by two‑thirds of the General Assembly and ratification by the current five permanent members. While the US backed two African permanent seats in 2024, it stopped short of endorsing veto rights for them. With the push renewed this week, will Nigeria’s diplomatic push finally break the deadlock, or will veto‑holding powers resist change that could shift global influence?