Tinubu Set To Attend 81st UNGA, Address Global Leaders, Meet Trump

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has confirmed that he will personally lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), scheduled to take place in New York, United States, in September 2026.

According to Ireporter Online, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, disclosed the development after a meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Ibrahim said the President had assured him of his attendance at the global gathering of world leaders, marking his return to the annual event after being absent from the last two editions.

The envoy explained that he had presented the proposed budget for Nigeria’s participation at the assembly and revealed that President Tinubu would engage in several high-level meetings on the sidelines of the event. He said the discussions would focus on key sectors, including energy, education, healthcare and hospital management.

Ibrahim noted that the President’s participation would provide Nigeria with an opportunity to showcase the reforms being implemented by his administration and strengthen engagement with foreign leaders, international organisations, investors and development partners.

President Tinubu attended the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in person but delegated Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent Nigeria at the 79th and 80th sessions.

The ambassador further disclosed that Tinubu intends to use the global platform to seek greater international cooperation in tackling security challenges associated with porous borders across West Africa. He described weak border control as a major factor enabling terrorists, arms traffickers and other transnational criminal networks to operate across the region.

According to Ibrahim, the Federal Government is already working with the United Nations on a regional border policing initiative and will use the assembly to rally broader global support for improved surveillance, intelligence sharing and cross-border collaboration among West African nations.

He also hinted at the possibility of a meeting between President Tinubu and United States President Donald Trump during the General Assembly, although he clarified that no formal bilateral meeting had been confirmed.

The envoy added that Tinubu is expected to sit in the front row during the general debate and deliver Nigeria’s national statement at approximately 10:45 a.m. New York time. The address is expected to highlight Nigeria’s position on global peace and security, economic growth, climate change and reforms of international institutions.

The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly will officially open on September 8, while the general debate is scheduled to take place from September 22 to September 28, 2026. The event will bring together heads of state, government officials, ministers and representatives of international organisations to deliberate on pressing global issues, including security, climate change, sustainable development, humanitarian challenges and international economic cooperation.