After weeks of speculation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has confirmed he will not be physically present at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
In a statement on Sunday, Stanley Nkwocha, spokesman to the Vice President, announced that Tinubu has mandated Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent him and lead Nigeria’s delegation.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has mandated Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent him and lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, in New York, United States,” the statement read.
Shettima will lead a high-level delegation comprising Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, ministers and other senior government officials.
The 81st UNGA General Debate will hold from September 22 to 28, 2026, under the theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”
At the General Debate, Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement, outlining the country’s position and priorities on national development, peace and security, economic growth and international cooperation.
He will also participate in high-level meetings on the Right to Development, climate action, and hold bilateral meetings with foreign leaders and international organizations to advance economic diplomacy, climate finance, and reform of the global financial architecture.
Tinubu’s likely absence had been noticed after the Presidency announced he would return to Nigeria after a three-week vacation in Europe — which took him to London and France where he met President Emmanuel Macron — without confirming UNGA plans.
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Jimoh Ibrahim, had earlier said Tinubu would attend and provisions had been made for him to sit close to US President Donald Trump.
This will be the third consecutive UNGA session led by Shettima. Tinubu attended in person in 2023 (78th session), while Shettima represented him in 2024 and 2025.
