Three years after his first appearance at the United Nations General Assembly, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not personally returned to the annual gathering of world leaders, with Vice President Kashim Shettima representing him for the third consecutive year. But beyond the question of attendance, what does Nigeria’s record at UNGA reveal about its engagement with issues such as Palestine? MUSLIM NEWS NIGERIA reports>>
When Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived in New York in September 2023 for the 78th United Nations General Assembly, it was his first appearance at the global diplomatic gathering as Nigeria’s President.
The occasion gave the newly inaugurated Nigerian leader an international platform to present his administration’s priorities and speak directly to heads of state, government leaders and representatives of the 193 United Nations member states.
Tinubu delivered Nigeria’s national statement on September 19, 2023. In his address, he focused extensively on Africa’s development, global inequality, democratic governance, the crisis in Niger Republic, terrorism and violent extremism, illicit exploitation of Africa’s mineral resources, climate change and the need for greater international cooperation.
But one major international issue was absent from that address: Palestine.
A review of the official transcript of Tinubu’s 78th UNGA speech shows no reference to Palestine, Gaza, Israel or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His speech, which contained 46 numbered points, concentrated primarily on Africa and Nigeria’s development and security priorities.
That would change in subsequent Nigerian statements at UNGA.
From Tinubu’s silence in 2023 to Shettima’s Palestine statements
Tinubu did not personally attend the 79th UNGA in 2024. Vice President Kashim Shettima represented him and delivered Nigeria’s national statement on September 24.
Unlike Tinubu’s 2023 address, Shettima’s 2024 speech directly addressed Gaza and the Palestinian territories.
In paragraphs 18 to 20 of the speech, Shettima described the situation in Gaza and other Palestinian territories as a matter that could not be ignored when discussing war, peace, conflict, reconciliation and humanitarian concerns.
He said Palestinians deserved independence and a home of their own in territories recognised by the UN and international law, while reaffirming Nigeria’s support for the two-state solution.
The difference is significant because the 2024 address was not simply a passing reference.
The Palestine issue appeared within a broader section of the Nigerian statement dealing with conflict prevention and international peace.
Shettima linked the Gaza conflict to the wider question of the United Nations’ responsibility to prevent conflict and protect civilians.
In effect, Palestine moved from being absent from Tinubu’s 2023 UNGA speech to becoming an explicit part of Nigeria’s national statement when Shettima represented him in 2024.
2025: Palestine appears again
The pattern continued at the 80th UNGA in September 2025, when Shettima again represented Tinubu. This time, Palestine was again addressed directly, and the language was even more prominent.
In paragraph 10 of his statement, Shettima referred to the violence and aggression against civilians in Gaza, alongside the attack on Qatar and wider regional tensions.
The following paragraph reaffirmed Nigeria’s position that a two-state solution remained the path to lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis.
Shettima said the people of Palestine should not be treated as collateral damage and stressed their entitlement to freedom and dignity. Thus, the record across the first three UNGA sessions of the Tinubu presidency presents a clear sequence.
UNGA2026
For the 81st UNGA in 2026, however, it is too early to make the same assessment. The Presidency confirmed that Shettima is leading Nigeria’s delegation and will present Nigeria’s national statement, but the statement has not yet been delivered as of Tuesday, September 22.
Does that mean Tinubu ignored Palestine?
That conclusion would go beyond the evidence.
The fact that Palestine did not appear in Tinubu’s 2023 UNGA speech does not establish that his administration had no position on Palestine.
Indeed, Nigeria has addressed the Palestinian question in other international and diplomatic settings.
The more precise finding is that Palestine did not feature in Tinubu’s 2023 UNGA national address, while it featured explicitly in the 2024 and 2025 national statements delivered by Shettima on behalf of Nigeria.
That distinction matters.
A president’s speech at UNGA is only one part of a country’s foreign policy.
Nigeria’s position on Palestine is also expressed through votes at the United Nations, statements by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, bilateral engagements and participation in international conferences.
The UNGA speeches, however, offer a useful window into what the Nigerian government chose to place before the world’s largest diplomatic audience during the General Debate.
The legal question remains separate
The Palestine record adds another dimension to the debate over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s absence from the United Nations General Assembly, but it does not change the legal position. There is no identified provision of the UN Charter requiring the president of a member state to personally attend the General Assembly.
Article 9 provides for the General Assembly to consist of all UN member states and allows each member to have up to five representatives. The UN therefore recognises participation through member-state delegations rather than requiring presidents or prime ministers to be physically present.
Nigeria has remained represented even when Tinubu was absent. Vice President Kashim Shettima delivered Nigeria’s national statements at the 79th UNGA in 2024 and the 80th UNGA in 2025, and the same arrangement is being used for the 81st UNGA in 2026. There is consequently no basis for describing Tinubu’s non-attendance at UNGA, by itself, as a violation of international law. Nor has a specific provision of the Nigerian Constitution been identified that makes the President’s personal attendance at UNGA a mandatory duty.
Presence and representation are not the same
The legal position, however, does not completely settle the diplomatic question. UNGA is more than the formal national statement delivered from the podium. The annual gathering brings together heads of state and government, foreign ministers, diplomats, international organisations, development partners and other influential actors, while bilateral meetings, negotiations and diplomatic consultations take place around the General Debate.
A President’s physical presence can therefore create opportunities for direct engagement with other leaders. At the same time, a Vice President leading a national delegation can also conduct diplomatic engagements and present the country’s positions. Shettima’s participation in 2024 and 2025 demonstrates that Nigeria has continued to participate in the General Debate despite Tinubu’s absence.
The more substantive question, therefore, is not whether Nigeria was represented. It was. The question is what additional diplomatic opportunities arise when the President himself is present and whether those opportunities produce measurable benefits for Nigeria.
Why Tinubu is absent in 2026
For the 81st UNGA, the Presidency has explained that Tinubu extended his working vacation by a few days and was expected to return to Nigeria at the weekend.
A September 21 State House statement said Shettima left Abuja on September 20 for New York to attend the 81st UNGA and present Nigeria’s national statement. The Presidency also maintained that Tinubu continued to direct the affairs of government while away.
The administration has rejected suggestions that Tinubu’s non-attendance means Nigeria is withdrawing from the global conference, maintaining that the country remains fully represented through Shettima and the wider Nigerian delegation.
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