Vice President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria will be guided by the principles of equity, justice and fairness in supporting candidates seeking to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.
According to a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima made the remarks during a meeting with Costa Rican candidate Rebeca Grynspan shortly before departing New York, United States, for Nigeria.
The Vice President said Nigeria would also support a candidate who understands and advances Africa’s aspirations in global affairs, particularly its push for greater representation in key international decision-making institutions and the promotion of multilateralism.
Shettima said he would recommend Grynspan’s candidature, citing Nigeria’s longstanding relationship with Latin America, gender inclusion and other considerations.
“Thank you for seeking Nigeria’s perspective on your candidature for the position of United Nations Secretary-General. Nigeria and Costa Rica share a common historical background connecting both countries and their regions.
“We also have a cordial relationship with Latin America, and we do not wish to jeopardise it. Beyond our historical ties and relations, we are interested in conflict prevention, multilateralism and the peace of our nations,” he said.
Shettima also called for reforms to the global governance architecture, arguing that the international system has evolved significantly since 1945 but has yet to adequately reflect Africa’s growing population, which he put at more than 1.3 billion people.
Grynspan, who met with Shettima to seek Nigeria’s support for her candidature, said she was prepared to lead the UN in implementing reforms advocated by many countries, particularly those in the Global South.
“Coming from the Global South, I represent the interests and demands of the region. I also have a soft spot for Africa. I know the continent and its aspirations,” she said.
Grynspan said her candidature would prioritise peace and pledged to support Africa’s ambition to secure permanent representation on the United Nations Security Council.
Nigeria, Netherlands to deepen financial inclusion
Meanwhile, Nigeria and the Netherlands have agreed to strengthen cooperation on financial inclusion across different segments of Nigerian society.
Under the proposed collaboration, the Netherlands will draw on its expertise and experience in financial health to support financial inclusion initiatives being implemented in Nigeria.
The agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting between Shettima and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands in New York.
Shettima welcomed the Netherlands’ offer of support, particularly in expanding financial inclusion for women and vulnerable groups.
He described the focus on financial health and inclusion as timely, noting that the issues are linked to education, security and poverty reduction.
The Vice President cited the conditional cash transfer programme and initiatives in the agricultural sector among government measures aimed at expanding financial inclusion. He said the programmes were already producing results across various sectors.
Shettima also said government policies had created opportunities for some of Africa’s leading fintech companies to play a greater role in expanding access to financial services for underserved Nigerians.
Speaking on the reforms implemented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, Shettima said the measures were necessary given the economic conditions inherited by the government in 2023.
Queen Máxima, who also serves as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health, acknowledged what she described as strong growth in the Nigerian economy under the current administration.
She also recognised efforts to expand financial inclusion and pledged the Netherlands’ support for improving financial health among Nigerians through the exchange of expertise and experience in areas including insurance, credit guarantees and data generation.
According to the Queen, the financial health programme seeks to strengthen citizens’ financial resilience, protect their investments and expand access to insurance.
She also urged private-sector stakeholders to view the financial health of their customers as an important factor in the long-term sustainability and growth of their businesses.
Earlier, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said measures taken by the administration to improve Nigeria’s fiscal space, alongside existing policies on insurance and pensions, would complement the Central Bank of Nigeria’s recent initiatives aimed at improving access to credit and reducing its cost.
Oyedele added that the Tinubu administration was pursuing financial inclusion as part of efforts to expand economic opportunities and improve living standards for low-income Nigerians.
