Tinubu to Address World Leaders at 81st UN General Assembly September 23
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to address world leaders at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
Tinubu is scheduled as the 10th speaker during the morning session on the second day of the high-level General Debate, which is expected to run from September 22 to 28.
According to the provisional programme, the Nigerian President is expected to deliver his address between 11:30 a.m. and noon New York time, corresponding to approximately 4:30 p.m. Nigerian time.
The General Debate is expected to feature 193 world leaders and other senior government representatives under the theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”
During his visit, Tinubu is expected to take part in several high-level meetings, summits and side events addressing global challenges such as climate change, rising sea levels and pandemic preparedness.
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, said the President’s participation would provide an avenue for Nigeria to present the reforms and initiatives of the Tinubu administration to the international community.
Ibrahim also disclosed that Nigeria would seek international backing for a regional border-policing initiative aimed at addressing security challenges linked to porous borders across West Africa.
Tinubu is further expected to hold talks with outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Reports of a possible meeting with United States President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the assembly have also emerged, although no such meeting has been officially confirmed.
The 2026 appearance will mark Tinubu’s first personal attendance at the UN General Assembly since 2023. Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the 2024 and 2025 editions.
