By Mayowa Alakija
For over five decades, Nigeria’s international standing has experienced cycles of glory, decline, and recovery. In September 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, delivered a compelling national statement at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The speech not only rekindled Nigeria’s role as Africa’s leading voice but also reminded the world of the country’s historic place as a defender of justice, fairness, and reform on the global stage.
Nigeria’s new push for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council, fair access to trade and finance, equitable benefits for resource-rich countries, and the closing of the digital divide echoes the spirit of 1976, when General Muritala Ramat Muhammed stood before the world at the UN and declared that Africa would no longer be a pawn in global politics. His short but powerful tenure set a standard for Nigerian diplomacy, one that Tinubu’s government is now reviving.
Muritala Muhammed and the Rise of Nigerian Global Influence (1975–1976)
General Muritala Muhammed’s administration (July 1975–February 1976) marked the dawn of Nigeria’s assertive foreign policy. At the 31st UNGA in October 1975, Muritala famously condemned apartheid, colonialism, and external manipulation of African affairs. He positioned Nigeria as the moral voice of the continent, backing liberation struggles in Angola, Mozambique, and Southern Africa. This boldness earned Nigeria respect among developing nations and placed Africa at the center of international debate.
After his assassination in February 1976, his successor, General Olusegun Obasanjo, continued this foreign policy activism, consolidating Nigeria’s reputation as a defender of African freedom and a respected international power.
The Decline of Nigeria’s Image (1979–1999)
President Shehu Shagari (1979–1983) presided over an era of economic mismanagement and corruption, which weakened Nigeria’s credibility abroad. The military regimes that followed—from Generals Buhari (1983–1985), Babangida (1985–1993), Abacha (1993–1998), to Abubakar (1998–1999)—deepened the decline.
While Babangida briefly regained some influence through peacekeeping in Liberia and Sierra Leone, it was overshadowed by authoritarianism, annulled elections, and lack of democratic credibility. Under General Sani Abacha, Nigeria became a pariah state, suspended from the Commonwealth in 1995 after the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight Ogoni activists. By 1999, Nigeria’s reputation had plummeted to its lowest ebb.
The Democratic Era: From Recovery to Fragility (1999–2023)
With the return to democracy in 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo once again restored Nigeria’s international image. He secured debt relief from the Paris Club in 2005, re-engaged with multilateral institutions, and reasserted Nigeria’s role in African Union peacekeeping.
Subsequent administrations—Yar’Adua, Jonathan, and Buhari—each contributed to Nigeria’s foreign policy in varying ways. Jonathan emphasized regional peace and electoral reforms, while Buhari focused heavily on anti-corruption and counterterrorism. However, insecurity, economic fragility, and persistent governance challenges limited Nigeria’s ability to command global respect consistently.
Tinubu’s Four Pillars of Reform
1. A Permanent Seat at the UN Security Council
“Nigeria must have a permanent seat at the UN Security Council… Our case is a demand for fairness, for representation, and for reform that restores credibility.”
When the United Nations was founded in 1945, Nigeria was still under colonial rule, with a population of about 20 million people—absent from the table where decisions shaping its destiny were made. Today, Nigeria is a sovereign nation of over 236 million, projected to be the third most populous country in the world by 2050. This demographic reality, coupled with Nigeria’s decades-long leadership in Africa, makes the demand for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council not just symbolic, but imperative.
Nigeria has consistently demonstrated global responsibility, having contributed troops to 51 out of 60 UN peacekeeping operations since independence in 1960. From Liberia and Sierra Leone in the 1990s to ongoing missions across Africa, Nigeria has paid its dues as a stabilizing force. In his UNGA80 speech, Tinubu reminded the world that multilateralism loses credibility when the structures of 1945 are maintained in 2025. For Africa—the only continent without a permanent seat—Nigeria’s case is both moral and practical: a voice for 1.4 billion Africans must be permanently present in the highest chamber of global decision-making.
2. Debt Relief and Access to Trade & Finance
“We need urgent action to promote sovereign debt relief and access to trade and financing.”
Nigeria’s second call at the Assembly spoke to the plight of developing nations trapped in cycles of debt. Tinubu emphasized the need for a new, binding international mechanism to manage sovereign debt, likened to a financial equivalent of the International Court of Justice. This would help nations like Nigeria break free from the “economic straitjacket” of exporting raw commodities while importing inflation and poverty.
The case is not one of charity but of fairness. In 2005, Nigeria, under President Obasanjo, secured $18 billion in debt relief from the Paris Club, which allowed the country to reset its economy. Two decades later, the cycle of debt has returned—not just for Nigeria, but across the Global South. Tinubu argued that fairer access to global trade, financing, and markets is the only sustainable path to peace and prosperity. Without this, nations are forced into the cruel dilemma of choosing between schools or tanks, infrastructure or food security.
This point is reinforced by Nigeria’s own recent reforms: ending fuel subsidies and restructuring currency controls—difficult but necessary steps. By linking domestic sacrifices to international reform, Nigeria positioned itself as a credible leader advocating not just for itself, but for all developing nations seeking breathing space to grow.
3. Equity for Resource-Rich Nations
“We will strengthen the international order when those countries that produce strategic minerals benefit fairly… in terms of investment, local processing, and jobs.”
Tinubu’s third pillar drew from a painful history: Nigeria’s Niger Delta, where decades of oil extraction created vast wealth for multinationals but left local communities with poverty, pollution, and unrest. This paradox has been repeated across Africa—from Sierra Leone’s diamonds in the 1990s, which fueled a brutal civil war, to the conflict minerals of the Democratic Republic of Congo, still a source of instability today.
Nigeria’s position is clear: the global economy cannot continue to rely on Africa’s resources while leaving Africans impoverished. With the demand for critical minerals—lithium, cobalt, coltan—essential for renewable energy and technology—skyrocketing, Africa risks becoming once again a theater of exploitation unless rules are changed.
Tinubu argued that fairness requires investment in local processing, value addition, and job creation. Instead of exporting raw ore, Africa must export finished products, ensuring communities benefit directly from their natural endowments. This is not only an economic necessity but also a security imperative: as Nigeria’s experience shows, inequality around resource distribution breeds tension, militancy, and instability. By pushing this agenda, Nigeria placed itself at the forefront of a global justice movement for resource-producing nations.
4. Closing the Digital Divide
“A.I. must stand for ‘Africa Included.’”
The final pillar reflected the future. Tinubu reminded the Assembly that technology is reshaping governance, law, finance, and conflict, yet the digital divide between developed and developing nations risks becoming the new frontier of inequality. Fake news, cybercrime, and misinformation already destabilize societies. But more dangerous, he warned, is the emergence of a generation that believes nothing and trusts less, corroding the foundation of democratic governance.
Nigeria called for a dedicated global initiative bringing together researchers, governments, and the private sector to ensure digital access and literacy for developing nations. With over 65% of Nigerians under 30, bridging the digital divide is not a luxury but a survival strategy. If Africa is excluded from the Artificial Intelligence revolution, the world risks cementing structural inequality for another century.
This digital vision is also tied to Nigeria’s call for peace and justice abroad. In the same speech, Tinubu emphasized Nigeria’s moral voice on global conflicts—particularly the plight of civilians in Gaza, where he reaffirmed Nigeria’s support for a two-state solution as “the most dignified path to lasting peace.” By linking technology, peace, and human rights, Nigeria framed itself as a forward-looking, values-driven leader for the Global South.
A Return to Global Relevance
President Tinubu’s speech was not mere rhetoric—it was a blueprint for repositioning Nigeria as a credible, reformist, and respected voice in the international system. By linking Nigeria’s domestic reforms (removal of subsidies, economic restructuring, and renewed investment drive) with global priorities (peace, development, and human rights), his administration is shaping the perception that Nigeria is back as a serious player.
Just as Muritala Muhammed boldly placed Nigeria on the map in 1975, Tinubu’s UNGA80 statement has rekindled that legacy. At a time when Africa needs a strong representative voice, Nigeria has once again shown that it can lead.
From Muritala’s uncompromising stand against apartheid to Tinubu’s demand for Security Council reform, Nigeria’s journey has come full circle. With a reviving economy, stronger governance, and a commitment to fairness in global affairs, Nigeria is repositioning itself as a continental anchor and a global partner. This is more than diplomacy—it is the restoration of respect and relevance among the community of nations.
