President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to address world leaders at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
According to the provisional programme for the high-level General Debate, Tinubu is listed as the 10th speaker for the morning session on the second day of the debate, which runs from September 22 to 28.
He is expected to speak between 11:30 a.m. and noon New York time, corresponding to about 4:30 p.m. Nigerian time.
The General Debate will bring together 193 world leaders and senior government officials under the theme: “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”
Tinubu’s appearance will give him an opportunity to present Nigeria’s position on major global and regional issues, as well as highlight reforms being implemented by his administration.
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, said the President’s participation would help showcase the administration’s reforms to the international community.
Ibrahim also disclosed that Nigeria would seek international backing for a regional border-policing initiative in West Africa. He identified the region’s porous borders as a major security challenge, particularly in the fight against transnational crime and insecurity.
Beyond his address, Tinubu is expected to participate in several high-level meetings, summits and side events during the UN week. Discussions are expected to cover issues such as climate action, rising sea levels, pandemic preparedness and other global development challenges.
The President is also expected to meet with outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres during his visit.
There have also been reports of a possible meeting between Tinubu and United States President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the General Assembly. However, no such meeting has been officially confirmed as part of Tinubu’s schedule.
The September appearance will mark Tinubu’s return to the UN General Assembly in person after a two-year absence. He attended the 2023 session himself, while Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the 2024 and 2025 editions.