A PRESS SPEECH DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, SENATOR JIMOH IBRAHIM, PHD (CANTAB) CFR, AT THE UNITED NATIONS UPON THE PRESENTATION OF HIS LETTER OF CREDENCE AS NIGERIA’S AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY AND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS

INSECURITY: NIGERIAN PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU WILL RESOLVE ALL GENERATIONAL GRIEVANCES

Protocol!

President Bola Tinubu warmly sends his greetings to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres. He’s genuinely proud of the outstanding achievements and hard work of your entire management team. He truly values your dedication to upholding the core principles outlined in the United Nations Preamble and Charter, especially during this significant time in our world. President Bola Tinubu and his wife, Her Excellency Oluremi Tinubu, also want to sincerely thank you for your fellowship and the wonderful working relationship with our dear Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Her Excellency Madam Amina Mohammed, from Gombe State, Nigeria. Thank you so much, Your Excellency, for receiving me at a very short notice, coming barely few days after my arrival in New York to assume duty.

President Bola Tinubu acknowledges the crucial role Africa plays in supporting the Secretary-General and the G77 plus China during the General Assembly. This support highlights the importance of securing an African seat on the United Nations Security Council. A positive outcome on this front would be celebrated as a significant historical achievement and could greatly enhance our collective security. Reaching this milestone would be an important step toward fostering peace, particularly across Africa, benefiting everyone. Nigeria remains committed to gathering support for addressing security challenges at home, as the government works to resolve regional issues-these are the foundation of security and are connected to broader challenges, including those in the Sahel and West African sub-region. President Bola Tinubu is pleased with the UN80 reforms, which help accelerate progress in Nigeria and across Africa.

President Tinubu is confident that, as Nigeria’s Ambassador and the Head of our Mission to the UN, I will work hand in hand with you to tackle the issues we share and to promote justice and lift people out of hardship and injustice. He is enthusiastic about my presence here, believing it will offer essential support to address security concerns both locally and internationally-such as religious conflicts and other crises, which stem from long-standing grievances. Our top priority is to seize these opportunities to move our shared goals forward and strengthen peace and safety for everyone.

Mr. Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, it’s truly exciting to share some positive updates from President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He has graciously given permission to highlight key economic reforms, including ending the oil subsidy, implementing a unified foreign exchange rate through tax reform, and adopting a tighter monetary policy to combat inflation.

All reforms in the short run come with one form of pain or the other, but the results have been remarkable! The GDP-to-debt ratio is now below 40%, the debt-servicing ratio has fallen from 94% to 60%, and inflation has dropped from 30% to 15%. Moreover, key legacy projects are advancing, particularly in road infrastructure, alongside strong commitments to investment in the power sector. These efforts are paving the way for sustainable growth and progress. Nigeria will continue to lead international tax reform, the climate action agenda, and reform of the international financial architecture, as debt crises and the burden of economic management are rising amid the Iran War.

President Bola Tinubu emphasised the crucial role of peace in economic stability, particularly the Strait of Hormuz’s significance to the world economy. He warmly expressed his hope that the United Nations will collaborate with all to promote peace and reassured that Nigeria is wholeheartedly dedicated to supporting any UN resolution on this important issue. Nigeria genuinely welcomes the United Nations’ efforts, including the deployment of a task force and the appointment of a personal envoy. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s ongoing commitment to playing a vital role in Africa in achieving the United Nations’ core goals.

I thank you.

His Excellency, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, PhD (Cantab), CFR
Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
and Permanent Representative to the United Nations,
New York

20th April 2026