Precious Nwonu, Enugu

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria’s position in the selection of the next United Nations Secretary-General will be guided by equity, justice, fairness and Africa’s interests.

Shettima made the remarks in New York during a meeting with Costa Rican diplomat Rebeca Grynspan, who is seeking the position of UN Secretary-General.

According to a statement by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, the meeting took place shortly before the Vice President returned to Nigeria after his engagements at the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

Shettima said Nigeria would consider candidates who support Africa’s aspirations in global affairs, particularly the continent’s demand for greater representation in key international decision-making institutions.

He also identified multilateralism, conflict prevention and global peace as issues that would influence Nigeria’s position.

The Vice President said he would recommend Grynspan’s candidature, citing Nigeria’s longstanding relationship with Latin America, gender inclusion and other considerations.

Nigeria and Costa Rica, he noted, share historical ties, while Nigeria also maintains cordial relations with countries across Latin America.

Shettima further called for reforms to the global governance system, arguing that the international order established in 1945 has changed significantly but has yet to adequately reflect Africa’s growing population and role in global affairs.

Grynspan, who is seeking Nigeria’s support for her candidature, said she was prepared to pursue reforms being advocated by countries, particularly those in the Global South.

She said her campaign would prioritise peace and give attention to Africa’s aspirations, including its longstanding demand for permanent representation on the UN Security Council.

Grynspan is among the candidates formally nominated for the UN Secretary-General position. The UN’s published list also includes Rafael Mariano Grossi, Olara Otunnu, Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett and Macky Sall.

Nigeria, Netherlands Discuss Financial Inclusion

In a separate engagement in New York, Shettima and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands discussed ways to deepen cooperation on financial inclusion and financial health in Nigeria.

Queen Máxima serves as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health and was in New York for activities around the 81st UN General Assembly.

Shettima welcomed the Netherlands’ proposed support, particularly initiatives aimed at improving financial inclusion for women and vulnerable groups.

He said financial health was closely connected to education, security and poverty reduction, while highlighting government programmes such as conditional cash transfers and agricultural initiatives.

The Vice President also pointed to the role of Nigerian fintech companies in expanding access to financial services for people who remain excluded from the formal financial system.

Shettima defended the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying the measures were necessary because of the condition of the economy when the government assumed office in 2023.

Queen Máxima acknowledged Nigeria’s efforts to expand financial inclusion and pledged Dutch support through the sharing of expertise and experience in areas including insurance, credit guarantees and data generation.

She said stronger financial health could improve citizens’ resilience, protect their investments and expand access to insurance services.

She also urged private-sector companies to treat the financial health of their customers as an important factor in their long-term sustainability.

The Netherlands’ financial-health agenda is focused on helping people manage financial risks, strengthen their resilience and improve their ability to achieve short- and long-term financial goals.

Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele also said existing policies on insurance and pensions, alongside recent measures by the Central Bank of Nigeria, were expected to improve access to credit and reduce borrowing costs.

He added that financial inclusion remained a major focus of the Federal Government’s economic policies.