Nigeria demands un security council restructuring

Nigeria has been a vocal advocate for the restructuring of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to reflect the changing global landscape and to give more representation to developing countries.

In 2015, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari called for a comprehensive reform of the UNSC, including an increase in the number of permanent and non-permanent members, to make the council more representative and effective.

In 2019, Nigeria's Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama reiterated the country's demand for UNSC reform, saying that the current structure is "outdated" and "does not reflect the current global reality".

Nigeria's demand for UNSC reform is based on several reasons, including:

  1. Lack of representation: Nigeria argues that the current composition of the UNSC does not reflect the demographic changes in the world, with many developing countries having a significant population and economic growth.
  2. Inequitable distribution of power: Nigeria believes that the current system gives too much power to the five permanent members of the UNSC (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States), which are often at odds with the interests of developing countries.
  3. Ineffective decision-making: Nigeria argues that the current system of decision-making in the UNSC is often slow and ineffective, with many decisions being blocked by the permanent members.
  4. Lack of transparency and accountability: Nigeria believes that the UNSC needs to be more transparent and accountable, with greater participation and representation for developing countries.

Nigeria's demand for UNSC reform is not unique, as many other developing countries have also called for changes to the council's structure and decision-making processes. However, the issue is complex and has been the subject of intense negotiations and debates among UN member states.

Some of the proposed reforms include:

  1. Increasing the number of permanent and non-permanent members of the UNSC.
  2. Introducing a new category of members, such as a "middle category" between permanent and non-permanent members.
  3. Strengthening the role of the General Assembly in the decision-making process.
  4. Improving the transparency and accountability of the UNSC's decision-making processes.

Despite the challenges, Nigeria remains committed to pushing for UNSC reform, believing that it is essential for the UN to remain relevant and effective in addressing global challenges.