President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for comprehensive reforms of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), demanding permanent seats for Africa, at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9).
The President’s advocacy for a greater African voice in global governance came as Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced a substantial financial pledge of up to $5.5 billion in support for the continent’s development.
President Tinubu, speaking during the plenary session on Peace and Stability on Wednesday, argued that Africa’s quest for fair representation is a non-negotiable demand for achieving a just and equitable global order.
“It is the view of Nigeria that Africa’s quest for fair and equitable representation in the UN Security Council is a just and fair demand. Indeed, Africa deserves two seats in the Permanent Category, with all its prerogatives and privileges, including the Right of Veto. Africa also deserves additional seats in the non–permanent seat category of the Security Council, as encapsulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration,” the President stated.
While pushing for geopolitical reforms, President Tinubu also lauded the successes of the Nigerian armed forces in the ongoing war against insurgency and criminality. However, he emphasized that his administration’s commitment extends beyond military victories to addressing the foundational causes of insecurity through economic reforms and strengthening security institutions.
“Nigeria’s brave armed forces can win any number of battles, but we do justice to their heroism only when we, as government, are courageous in tackling not just terror, but also the underlying causes,” President Tinubu said.
He described the current momentum within the military as a “springboard for national development and stability,” reaffirming that inclusivity, diversity, and the rule of law remain Nigeria’s greatest strengths.
Reflecting on broader African conflicts, the President pointed to recent peace pacts in the Congo as evidence that innovative mediation, linked to economic investment, can yield success.
“We should be under no illusions about the scale of our task. But neither should we underestimate the successes we have had. In the past, competition for resources has weakened states and triggered conflict. Now, we see mediators directly linking outcomes to investment in Congo. It is working and underlines the need for fresh thinking in everything we do to deliver peace and stability,” he noted.
Outlining Japan’s support, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced a collaborative economic framework with the African Development Bank that will see a maximum of $5.5 billion disbursed to Africa, utilising Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) private sector investment finance as a catalyst.
The Japanese leader emphasised a philosophy of mutual understanding and locally-rooted solutions, focusing on private sector-led growth, youth and women empowerment, and regional integration.
“Japan is providing various cooperation and support for Africa. But first of all, Japan needs to know more about Africa. So, in creating solutions together, this co-creation at the TICAD 9, we focus on three important areas: private sector-led sustainable growth, Youth and Women, and Regional integration and connectivity within and beyond Africa,” Prime Minister Ishiba said.
He also made a unique appeal for African nations to assist Japan with its challenges of a declining population and shrinking agricultural land, while highlighting the potential of Africa’s youth.
“In Africa, there is a primary industry, agriculture, forestry, and industries, and then it jumped over to the tertiary sectors and the services industries. There is a jump in economic growth that Japan and other Asian countries have experienced and they have tried to move from the primary, the Agriculture, fisheries, forestry to the secondary, that is a necessary process because the power of the youth could be realised fully in the manufacturing industry to improve the productivity of Africa’s manufacturing sector.”
President Tinubu concluded by appealing for market-driven partnerships over aid and called for international cooperation to ensure technology becomes a tool for peace, not division.
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