Shettima says Nigeria will weigh fairness and Africa’s interests in UN vote

Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria will consider equity, justice and fairness when supporting candidates for the position of United Nations secretary-general. According to a statement by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima spoke during a meeting with Costa Rican candidate Rebeca Grynspan shortly before leaving New York for Nigeria. He said Nigeria would also look for a candidate who supported Africa’s aspirations in global affairs.

Shettima said those aspirations included greater representation in key decision-making bodies and the promotion of multilateralism. He added that he would recommend Grynspan’s candidature, citing Nigeria’s relationship with Latin America, gender inclusion and other considerations. The vice-president also called for reform of the global governance system.

He said the structure established in 1945 had not sufficiently reflected Africa’s integration, despite the continent’s population being estimated at more than 1.3 billion. Grynspan told Shettima that she wanted to lead reforms advocated by many countries, particularly those in the Global South. She said her agenda would prioritise peace and that Africa’s ambition of becoming a permanent member of the UN Security Council would receive urgent attention.

Separately, Nigeria and the Netherlands agreed to deepen cooperation on financial inclusion. The agreement was reached during Shettima’s meeting with Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, who is the UN secretary-general’s special advocate for financial health. The Netherlands will share expertise and experience in financial health to support Nigerian programmes, particularly those aimed at women and vulnerable people.

Shettima cited conditional cash transfers and agricultural initiatives as part of Nigeria’s efforts. Queen Máxima said support could include experience in insurance, credit guarantees and data generation. She said financial health could improve resilience, protect investments and strengthen insurance schemes, while Shettima linked financial inclusion to education, security and poverty reduction.