Tinubu to Speak at 81st UN General Assembly
President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to address world leaders at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. According to the provisional list of speakers, Tinubu will be the 10th speaker during the morning session on the second day of the high-level General Debate, which runs from September 22 to 28 at the UN headquarters. He is expected to speak between 11:30 a.m. and noon New York time, equivalent to about 4:30 p.m. Nigerian time.
Tinubu will join more than 150 heads of state and government and other senior officials representing the 193 UN member states. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is scheduled to open the General Debate on September 22, followed by United States President Donald Trump as the host-country leader. The theme for this year’s General Assembly is “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.” The session will be chaired by Bangladesh’s Khalilur Rahman. Tinubu’s visit is expected to extend beyond his main address, with the President scheduled to participate in high-level meetings, side events and summits focusing on issues including climate action, rising sea levels and pandemic preparedness. He is also expected to meet outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose second term ends on December 31, 2026. A meeting with outgoing UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, who has held the position since 2017, is also expected. Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, has confirmed Tinubu’s attendance, saying the President’s participation would give Nigeria an opportunity to present his administration’s reforms to the international community. Ibrahim said Tinubu would also seek international support for efforts to strengthen border policing in West Africa, describing the region’s porous borders as a major security challenge. According to the envoy, Nigeria is already working with the UN on a regional border-policing initiative and intends to use the General Assembly to deepen international cooperation on the issue. There could also be a meeting between Tinubu and Trump on the sidelines of the gathering, although details have not been confirmed. The 81st UN General Assembly officially opens on September 8, while the high-level General Debate will take place from September 22 to 28. Tinubu last attended the General Assembly in person in 2023. Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the 2024 and 2025 sessions.
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