UNGA 81 Brings World Leaders Together as Nigeria Prepares to Take the Podium

New York is once again the centre of global diplomacy as leaders from around the world gather for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, with conflicts, artificial intelligence, climate change, economic cooperation and the future of international institutions dominating discussions this week.

The General Debate opened on Tuesday, September 22, and will continue through September 28 under the theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.” Nearly 130 heads of state and government are expected to attend the high-level week in person, alongside other senior representatives from the 193 UN member states.

The gathering comes at a particularly complicated moment for international relations. The conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine remain major issues on the diplomatic agenda, while governments are also grappling with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, climate pressures and questions about how global institutions should respond to challenges that increasingly cross national borders.

US President Donald Trump used his address on Tuesday to defend his administration’s foreign policy, speak about the conflict involving Iran and outline his views on artificial intelligence and the role of the United Nations. His speech came as other leaders used the Assembly to push for diplomatic solutions to conflicts and greater international cooperation.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking at what is expected to be his final General Assembly before leaving office at the end of the year, called for stronger international cooperation on artificial intelligence, an end to ongoing conflicts and greater action on climate change. He also renewed calls for reforms to the UN system.

The conversations in New York are therefore extending far beyond the traditional diplomatic agenda. One of the notable developments today is a high-level discussion on the risks posed by artificial intelligence, with technology industry leaders including OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei and Hugging Face chief executive Clément Delangue expected to brief the UN Security Council on AI-related risks.

Against that global backdrop, Nigeria is preparing for its own moment at the General Assembly.

Vice President Kashim Shettima is leading Nigeria’s delegation and is scheduled to deliver the country’s national statement on Thursday, September 24. An updated provisional speakers’ schedule places Nigeria fourth in the afternoon session.

Shettima is representing President Bola Tinubu, whose absence from this year’s Assembly was confirmed by the Presidency. It is the third consecutive year that the Vice President has represented Tinubu at the annual gathering.

The Nigerian delegation includes senior government officials and state governors, with the country expected to use the week to advance its positions on issues including development, climate finance, technology access, reform of the global financial system and stronger African representation in international decision-making.

Shettima has said Nigeria’s participation will be guided by the country’s national interest, while emphasising the importance of multilateralism and reforms that give developing countries, particularly African nations, a stronger voice in global institutions.

For Nigeria, the UN gathering is also an opportunity to hold bilateral meetings with governments, international organisations, investors and development partners. These meetings often take place away from the main General Assembly floor, where discussions can focus more directly on trade, investment, development financing, security and cooperation.

The wider programme reflects the breadth of issues confronting governments. The UN’s high-level week includes discussions on climate action, the just transition, sea-level rise, health, sustainable development and AI governance, with several events running alongside the main General Debate.

And while the speeches attract the cameras, the more consequential conversations may happen in smaller rooms around the Assembly.

Governments are negotiating interests. Businesses and investors are looking for opportunities. International organisations are seeking commitments. Countries facing conflicts are looking for support, while developing nations continue to push for a greater say in decisions that affect their economies and populations.

For Nigeria, Thursday will bring its turn.

For the rest of the world, the question is what this year's gathering will produce after the speeches end and the leaders leave New York.

The UNGA spotlight may last only a week, but the decisions, commitments and diplomatic relationships developed around it can shape conversations long after the flags come down.

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