Nigeria’s UN Envoy: Tinubu Targeting Root Causes of Insecurity in West Africa
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, says President Bola Tinubu is focused on tackling the underlying drivers of insecurity in Nigeria and across the wider West African region.¹
Ibrahim spoke shortly after presenting his Letter of Credence to UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the UN headquarters in New York.²
Addressing Long-Standing Grievances
According to the ambassador, President Tinubu believes that resolving deep-rooted grievances that fuel conflicts is essential to restoring peace and stability.
He said the President is committed to addressing “religious conflicts and other crises, which stem from long-standing grievances,” adding that resolving them will improve safety for citizens.³
Seeking Global Support
Ibrahim noted that Nigeria is pursuing stronger international backing to confront domestic security challenges, while also working with partners to manage threats across the Sahel and the West African sub-region.
He described his appointment as timely, marking Nigeria’s return to full diplomatic representation at the UN after more than two years without a substantive envoy.⁴
“President Tinubu is confident that, as Nigeria’s ambassador and head of mission to the UN, I will work hand-in-hand with you to tackle the issues we share,” he told the Secretary-General.
Call for UN Security Council Reform
The envoy restated Nigeria’s stance on global reforms, supporting a stronger African presence at the UN Security Council. He described broader African representation as vital for collective security and fairer decision-making on peace and conflict.⁵
Economic Reforms and Global Cooperation
On the economy, Ibrahim acknowledged that ongoing reforms may be tough in the short term but maintained they are building a foundation for long-term growth.
“All reforms in the short run come with one form of pain or the other, but the results have been remarkable,” he said.
He added that Nigeria will keep pushing for global cooperation on tax reforms, climate action, and peacebuilding, while taking a leading role in advancing the UN’s objectives across Africa.⁶
Nigeria’s UN Agenda
Ibrahim said Nigeria plans to deepen collaboration on counter-terrorism, humanitarian response, and development financing. He stressed that security, economic stability, and multilateral reform are linked, and that Nigeria intends to be active on all three fronts at the UN.