Tinubu to Address World Leaders at 80th UN General Assembly in New York

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu will deliver an address at the 80th Session of the high-level General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Wednesday, September 24.

According to a revised provisional list of speakers obtained from the UN headquarters, Tinubu is scheduled to speak on the second day of the debate during the afternoon session, around 8:30 pm local time (2:30 pm Nigerian time). He will be the 17th world leader to address the gathering on day two.

The General Debate will bring together 195 leaders, including 98 heads of state, five vice presidents, 44 heads of government, and four deputy prime ministers. Others expected are 37 ministers, one crown prince and four chairs of delegation.

As tradition dictates, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will be the first speaker, followed by U.S. President Donald Trump as the host nation’s leader. However, UN sources revealed that the list remains subject to changes depending on last-minute adjustments or attendance.

In 2024, Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented Tinubu and delivered Nigeria’s address on the first day, an unusual occurrence in UN tradition. Diplomats credited the rare opportunity to Nigeria’s goodwill and strong diplomatic influence within the international community.

Moses Abelian, UN Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management, explained that the revised list “reflects changes in the level of representation (upgrades and downgrades) and reflects exchanges among Member States.” He also confirmed that the lineup will be updated until the General Debate begins.

The 80th Session of the UNGA opened on Tuesday, September 9, with Annalena Baerbock of Germany inaugurated as president. Baerbock, Germany’s former Foreign Minister, became only the fifth woman in history to preside over the Assembly. Taking her oath on the original 1945 UN Charter, she pledged to lead with courage and inclusiveness. She succeeded Philémon Yang of Cameroon.

The high-level General Debate runs from September 23 to 29 under the theme “Better Together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights.” The week will also feature major events, including the High-level Meeting to Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the UN, the SDG Moment, the 30th Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, the Conference on Palestine and the Two-State Solution, the Climate Summit, and the launch of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance.

World leaders are expected to use the platform to push for solutions to pressing global challenges, including conflict, poverty, climate change, and human rights concerns.