Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, says President Bola Tinubu will occupy a front-row seat close to United States President Donald Trump at the 2026 United Nations General Assembly in New York this September.
The envoy, who disclosed this after a meeting with President Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, added that, the Nigerian leader would use the global gathering to present his administration’s reform successes and advance discussions on regional border security.
Ambassador Ibrahim also said President Tinubu accepted the invitation to attend this year’s United Nations General Assembly and will participate in selected side events focusing on energy, education and healthcare.
He said the President’s participation would provide an opportunity to showcase Nigeria’s reform efforts before the international community, adding that President Tinubu is expected to address the General Assembly on the successes of his administration’s reform agenda.
According to the envoy, the President’s address will be scheduled to enable Nigerians follow it live, with Tinubu expected to speak at about 10:45 a.m. New York time, corresponding to approximately 2:00 p.m. Nigerian time.
Beyond the General Assembly, Ambassador Ibrahim said President Tinubu is placing priority on strengthening border security across West Africa and plans to work with the United Nations to address the challenges posed by porous borders.
He said the President has given specific directives to strengthen border policing across the region and directed immediate action on the initiative.
According to Ibrahim, he will return to the United Nations to brief member states on President Tinubu’s concerns and advocate for West Africa to be adopted as a case study on border policing in order to strengthen security across the sub-region.
The envoy described border security as a critical international issue, noting that the United Nations was established to address cross-border challenges and should support efforts aimed at improving security cooperation among West African countries.
On whether President Tinubu would hold a bilateral meeting with United States President Donald Trump during the UNGA, Ambassador Ibrahim declined to comment.
He, however, maintained that the Nigerian leader would occupy a prominent position at the global gathering, seated close to President Trump in the front row of the United Nations General Assembly.
(Editor: Ada Ononye)
