Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the United Nations to prioritize debt forgiveness for Nigeria and other developing countries.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Tinubu emphasized the need for debt relief to enable sustainable financing for development.

Tinubu, also Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), stressed the importance of multilateralism in addressing global challenges such as terrorism, climate change, poverty, and inequality.

He highlighted the negative impact of global debt burdens, trade barriers, and protectionist policies on nations’ ability to meet their citizens’ needs.

Tinubu advocated for reforms in the international financial architecture and a transparent multilateral trading system. He also emphasized the need to recover proceeds from corruption and illicit financial flows, citing the United Nations Convention against Corruption.