Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima called for at least two permanent African seats with veto power on the U.N. Security Council during the 81st General Assembly in New York, arguing that the global body’s 1945 power structure fails to reflect contemporary geopolitical realities.
The push for structural reform brought long-standing tensions to the forefront of the United Nations headquarters on Thursday, September 25, 2026. Delivering President Bola Tinubu’s national statement, Vice President Kashim Shettima told the 81st session of the UN General Assembly that Africa remains locked out of the highest-level decisions affecting international security despite bearing the brunt of modern conflicts.
Africa represents 54 member states and roughly 1.4 billion people, making it the largest regional bloc in the United Nations. Yet the continent holds no permanent seats on the 15-member Security Council, which currently reserves permanent membership and veto power strictly for China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Ten additional members rotate on two-year terms, with Africa currently holding three non-permanent seats carrying no veto authority.
The 1945 Power Distribution and the African Union Common Position
Outgoing U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres described the exclusion of permanent African representation as unjust and indefensible in his final General Assembly address. General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock echoed that sentiment, stating that Africa needs to be at the table, not on the menu. President William Ruto of Kenya also spoke at the ongoing General Assembly, asking why Africa should remain permanently discussed but permanently excluded.
The world of 2026 cannot remain captive to the distribution of power in 1945,
Kashim Shettima, Vice President of Nigeria, via News Agency of Nigeria
Nigeria’s official stance aligns directly with the African Union’s long-standing guidelines established under the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. The African Union reaffirmed the position in May, saying Africa’s exclusion from permanent representation constituted a historical imbalance and called for stronger coordination among African states to advance the reform agenda. The continent’s unified negotiating position demands a minimum of two permanent seats for Africa, complete with all corresponding privileges and responsibilities—including veto power for as long as that mechanism persists—alongside an expansion of non-permanent representation to five total seats.
Peacekeeping Contributions Versus Institutional Exclusion
While African nations supply troops, financing, and diplomatic mediation for international peace operations, the continent is routinely treated as a theatre for security rather than an author of it. Nigerian officials emphasized the nation’s extensive participation in regional and international missions through the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States. Nigeria has deployed personnel to peace operations in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Mali, and The Gambia, alongside ongoing commitments to counterterrorism, democratic governance, and maritime security.
Nigeria demands, in accordance with the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, at least two permanent seats for Africa, with all the rights and responsibilities of permanent membership, including the veto for as long as it exists, and five non-permanent seats in total.
Kashim Shettima, Vice President of Nigeria, via News Agency of Nigeria
Despite this deep operational involvement, African nations remain outside the consulting room when binding sanctions and authorizations of military force are drafted in New York.
The Complex Path of Charter Reform and Internal Representation
Amending the U.N. Charter to expand the Security Council requires broad support among UN member states, specifically the support of two-thirds of UN members and ratification by all five permanent members. This procedural hurdle means the current permanent members must voluntarily agree to dilute their own exclusive voting privileges, making the expansion of permanent membership a complex diplomatic issue.
Even if international resistance is overcome and permanent seats are granted to Africa, the continent faces an internal contest regarding allocation. Potential candidates for permanent placement include Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Algeria, and Somalia, raising questions over whether the African Union would establish a system under which the seats rotate among countries or regions or designate specific powerhouse nations to occupy the posts permanently.
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