Civil society group backs Nigerian President’s call for UN Security Council seats for Africa

A Nigerian political support group, The Democratic Front (TDF), has welcomed President Bola Tinubu’s call for two permanent seats for Africa on the United Nations Security Council, describing the demand as vital for ending the continent’s historical underrepresentation in global governance.

In a joint statement issued on Friday, 2 October 2026, TDF Chairman Danjuma Muhammad and Secretary Wale Adedayo argued that the current global power architecture—established in 1945 following the Second World War—is outdated and incapable of addressing modern African challenges.

The group stated that Africa’s economic and political disadvantages stem directly from its lack of permanent representation on the UN’s highest decision-making body, despite the continent’s substantial population, natural resource wealth, and contributions to international affairs.

Key points highlighted in the statement include:

• Reforming Global Governance: The group backed President Tinubu’s opposition to the 81-year-old UN Security Council template, maintaining that granting Africa two permanent seats is necessary to bring the continent’s socio-economic and security challenges into proper international focus.
• Economic Advocacy: The TDF noted that since taking office in 2023, the Nigerian leader has consistently used international summits to advocate for fair economic decision-making, expanded debt relief, and greater access to concessional financing for developing African nations.
• Regional Security Infrastructure: Citing Nigeria’s regional leadership, the statement referenced President Tinubu’s recent commitment at the Africa Forward Summit in Kenya to share Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project maritime intelligence infrastructure with neighbouring Gulf of Guinea states.
• Diplomatic Strategy: Addressing opposition criticism regarding President Tinubu’s absence from the recent UN General Assembly, the group insisted that a nation’s core diplomatic objectives and policy stance remain effective regardless of a leader’s physical attendance.

The civil society organization called on international partners to address the structural imbalance within the Security Council, emphasizing that fair representation for Africa is essential for achieving balanced global peace and development.