President Bola Tinubu has stressed the global significance of Nigeria, warning that neglecting the country would have dire consequences for the entire world.

During a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the UN Headquarters Office in New York City, President Tinubu expressed the need for concrete actions to follow the idealistic narratives put forth by various world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.

Tinubu, as conveyed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, emphasized that the United Nations should evolve from being primarily a platform for discussions on global issues to becoming the world’s leading action coordination center.

He raised concerns about the allocation of 70 percent of resources to the world’s poorest countries, with a significant portion being spent on overhead and administrative costs, rather than reaching those in need.

Calling for urgent and coordinated efforts, President Tinubu stated, “The poverty ravaging our continent and the question of security and counter-terrorism requires us to work in close and effective synergy.”

He highlighted his commitment to eradicating poverty in Nigeria and stressed that democracy should drive the development urgently needed by the nation and the continent.

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Acknowledging his own past experiences with poverty, President Tinubu declared, “We have arisen out of poverty as individuals, but until our people have arisen out of that, we will not rest, even if it requires decisions at home that make me temporarily unpopular.”

Tinubu also addressed the issue of wealthy nations using human rights advocacy to hinder developing economies from tackling illicit actors who exploit and smuggle out Africa’s vast mineral resources while importing western-made weapons.

He asserted, “We are facing the great challenge of scavengers ravaging our lands and oppressing our people on illegal mines taking our gold and mineral wealth back to developed economies by stealth and violence against Nigerians.”

In response, UN Secretary-General Guterres highlighted the ongoing reforms within the UN system that aim to address institutional weaknesses and empower the developing world.

He expressed support for Nigeria’s leadership in the sub-region and assured Tinubu of the UN’s commitment to success, recognizing Nigeria’s vital role in Africa’s development.

Guterres concluded, “Your success is Africa’s success, and we wish you well.”