President Bola Tinubu has confirmed that he will attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) scheduled to hold in New York in September, marking his return to the global gathering after a two-year absence.

Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents after separate meetings with the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to Ibrahim, Tinubu is expected to deliver Nigeria’s address to world leaders during the General Assembly, where he will highlight the country’s reform agenda and recent economic progress.

He said the President’s speech has been scheduled for about 10:45 a.m. New York time (approximately 3:45 p.m. Nigerian time), allowing Nigerians to follow the address live.

Ibrahim also revealed that Tinubu will participate in several side events on the sidelines of the General Assembly, including engagements focused on power and energy, education and hospital management, although he noted that the President’s itinerary would not be overcrowded.

On regional security, Ibrahim said Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to mkstrengthening border security across West Africa and intends to work with the United Nations on initiatives aimed at addressing porous borders and improving regional policing.

He explained that Nigeria would seek to promote West Africa as a case study for enhanced border policing within the UN framework to support peace and security in the region.

Responding to questions about a possible meeting between Tinubu and United States President Donald Trump, Ibrahim said he could not confirm any bilateral talks but disclosed that the Nigerian leader would be seated in the front row of the General Assembly Hall, close to the American president.

A source familiar with the arrangements also indicated that the seating plan could provide an opportunity for an informal meeting between the two leaders, although no official bilateral engagement has been announced.

Ibrahim further disclosed that he would present the United Nations’ 2027 budget during the session in his capacity as Chairman of the UN Budget Committee.

Tinubu’s participation in the upcoming General Assembly will be his first since assuming office, having delegated Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent Nigeria at both the 79th and 80th sessions of the UN General Assembly in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

At the previous sessions, Shettima delivered Nigeria’s national statements on behalf of the President and participated in several high-level engagements, while Tinubu remained in Nigeria to focus on domestic priorities.