President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is scheduled to address world leaders at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) in New York on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
According to a provisional list of speakers obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Tinubu is expected to be the 10th speaker during the morning session of the second day of the high-level General Debate.
The Nigerian president is scheduled to speak between 11:30am and noon New York time, which is approximately 4:30pm Nigerian time.
Tinubu will join representatives of all 193 UN member states, including more than 150 heads of state and government, as well as over 40 vice presidents, deputy prime ministers, ministers and other senior government officials.
As is customary, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is scheduled to open the General Debate on September 22, followed by US President Donald Trump as the leader of the host country.
The theme of this year’s General Assembly, to be presided over by Bangladesh’s Khalilur Rahman, is “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”
The high-level week is expected to be a busy one for Tinubu, who is scheduled to participate in several high-level meetings, side events and major international summits focusing on issues including climate action, rising sea levels and pandemic preparedness.
Tinubu is also expected to hold a high-level meeting with outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose two-term tenure is due to end on December 31, 2026.
The Nigerian president is also expected to meet with outgoing UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, who has held the position since 2017 and is currently the most senior African serving within the UN system.
However, UN sources told NAN that the speaking schedule remains provisional and could be adjusted depending on the attendance of world leaders.
Nigeria has historically enjoyed prominent speaking positions at the General Assembly, often appearing on the first or second day of the high-level debate.
Tinubu personally attended the 78th UN General Assembly in 2023, while Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the 79th and 80th sessions in 2024 and 2025 respectively.
Shettima delivered Nigeria’s national statement during both sessions and unusually retained Nigeria’s day-one speaking slots, which NAN attributed to diplomatic efforts by Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the UN.
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, has confirmed that Tinubu will attend the 2026 General Assembly.
“The president was able to give us his word. Now, he will come to UNGA this September,” Ibrahim said.
The Nigerian envoy said Tinubu’s participation would give the country an opportunity to showcase reforms being implemented by his administration to the international community.
Ibrahim also said the president would use the UN platform to engage international stakeholders on border policing in West Africa, describing the region’s porous borders as a major security challenge.
According to him, the Federal Government is working with the United Nations on a regional border-policing initiative and intends to seek wider international support for the effort during the General Assembly.
There is also a possibility of a meeting between Tinubu and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN gathering, according to the Nigerian ambassador.
The 81st session of the UN General Assembly officially opens on September 8, while the high-level General Debate will take place from September 22 to September 28 at the UN headquarters in New York.
The annual gathering brings together heads of state, government leaders, ministers and senior government officials from around the world to discuss major global issues, including climate change, sustainable development, international peace and security.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
