Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu is set to address the 80th Session of the high-level General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday, September 24, 2025.
According to a revised provisional list of speakers obtained from the UN headquarters, Tinubu will speak during the afternoon session at approximately 8:30 p.m. local time, corresponding to 2:30 p.m. Nigerian time. He is listed as the 17th world leader to speak on the second day of the general debate.
The general debate will bring together 195 world leaders, including 98 heads of state, five vice presidents, 44 heads of government, and four deputy prime ministers. Other participants include 37 ministers, one crown prince, and four chairs of delegations. Brazil’s President Luiz da Silva is scheduled to deliver the opening address, followed traditionally by the U.S. President, Donald Trump, as host country.
Sources at the UN indicated that the speaker list is subject to change depending on attendance, noting that Tinubu’s speaking slot could be adjusted if he does not appear in person. Diplomatic sources highlighted that the presence of Nigeria at this level is unusual, citing that Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented Tinubu in 2024 and spoke on the first day—a deviation from UN tradition where heads of state typically speak on the first and second days and vice presidents on the third. This arrangement, diplomats said, reflects Nigeria’s standing in the international community and the work of its diplomatic corps at the UN.
Movses Abelian, Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management, explained that the revised list reflects upgrades and downgrades in representation and will continue to be updated until the start of the general debate as communicated by member states.
The theme of the 80th session of the General Assembly is “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development, and human rights.” UNGA 80 opened on Tuesday, September 9, with the inauguration of a new president, Annalena Baerbock of Germany. Baerbock, a former German Foreign Minister and the fifth woman in history to preside over the General Assembly, called on member states to unite in addressing global crises, including war, poverty, and climate change, taking her oath on the original 1945 Charter. She received the Assembly’s gavel from her predecessor, Philémon Yang of Cameroon.
The high-level General Debate will take place from September 23 to September 29, while the high-level week will run from September 22 to September 30. The week will include a series of conferences and meetings, among them the High-level Meeting to Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the UN, the SDG Moment, the High-level Meeting on the 30th Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, the Conference on Palestine and the Two-State Solution, the Climate Summit, and the High-Level Meeting to Launch the Global Dialogue on AI Governance.
President Tinubu’s address will mark Nigeria’s engagement with global leaders on issues of peace, development, human rights, and multilateral cooperation at the United Nations.
(NAN)
