United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, has announced plans to return to Nigeria after spending a decade in senior leadership roles at the United Nations, saying she intends to continue contributing to Africa outside political office.

Mohammed disclosed this in an interview with ARISE News, where she reflected on her years at the UN and discussed her plans after completing her tenure.

“I’m coming home, and I’m very happy to do that,” she said, noting that her decade at the global organisation had given her valuable networks, experience and visibility that she could deploy in contributing to Nigeria and the wider African continent.

Mohammed, who previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, said she was not interested in pursuing elective political office after leaving the UN.

Asked whether she would consider running for political office, she responded that it did not interest her, indicating that she would rather contribute through other avenues.

According to Mohammed, Africa presents significant opportunities for her to continue making an impact, with Nigeria serving as her base.

She described her time at the United Nations as a privilege, particularly for the opportunities it created to raise the profile of women, Nigeria and Africa on the global stage.

Mohammed joined the United Nations in 2012 as Special Adviser to former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on post-2015 development planning. She later returned to Nigeria to serve as Minister of Environment before being appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the UN in February 2017.

In her UN role, she has been closely involved in global development efforts, including the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Reflecting on her return home, Mohammed acknowledged that the transition after a decade abroad would not necessarily be easy but said she believed it was the right decision.

“It’s never easy, but it is the right thing to do,” she said.

Her planned return marks the beginning of a new phase in her public service career, with Mohammed signalling an intention to focus on development and Africa-related initiatives rather than seek elective political office.