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At the 79th United Nations General Assembly, Nigeria renewed its call for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, emphasising its significant contributions to global peacekeeping.
The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, highlighted Nigeria's 41 peacekeeping missions and the deployment of over 200,000 troops since 1960, making a strong case for Africa's inclusion in the Security Council.
"Nigeria has remained unequivocal in its commitment to international peacebuilding and security," Badaru said, addressing the Summit of the Future during the interactive dialogue themed "Enhancing Multilateralism for International Peace and Security."
Badaru emphasised the crucial role Nigeria has played in peacekeeping across Africa and beyond, with missions in Côte D'Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, and Sudan, among others.
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"Nigeria has contributed a lot in terms of finance, logistics, troops, and civilian experts, making her one of the most significant African contributors to UN missions," he said.
Arguing for Security Council reform, he stated, "It is on this basis that Nigeria continues to call for the reform of the United Nations Security Council to give just representation to Africa permanently for inclusivity and deepening of global peace and security."
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The Defence Minister also underscored the need for strengthening Africa's military forces to tackle terrorism and regional instability.
He pushed for the operationalisation of the African Standby Force, a key initiative to build a professional army capable of addressing transnational threats.
"We recognise the need for Africa to build strong and professional armies, to, among other things, defeat terrorism," he added.
Badaru concluded by urging the international community to intensify efforts to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, particularly in conflict-ridden areas like the Sahel, warning that unrestricted access to these weapons by non-state actors fuels insecurity.