President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made diplomatic history on Monday, October 19, 2026, when he officially received the seven-volume proposed 2027 United Nations budget from Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador (Dr.) Jimoh Ibrahim, at the State House in Abuja.
​The presentation marks the first time in Nigeria’s 66-year history of UN membership that a sitting president has directly received the world body’s draft budget appropriations.
​Receiving the documents during an audience at the Presidential Villa, President Tinubu commended Ambassador Ibrahim for his proactive leadership and representation at the global body.
​”I am proud of you,” President Tinubu declared, expressing satisfaction with Nigeria’s growing role in the UN’s fiscal governance and international administrative oversight.
​Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim highlighted the historical significance of the event and Nigeria’s participation in the UN Budget Committee.
​”This is the first time in 66 years that Nigeria will participate at this level in the budget committee,” Ambassador Ibrahim said. “So I don’t know when we are going to do that again in history. Because I share the budget at the committee, the appropriate thing to do was to bring the budget home and deliver it to Mr. President.”
​The comprehensive seven-volume proposal outlines an estimated aggregate budget of approximately $14 billion (equivalent to roughly ₦36 trillion –₦40 trillion); Regular Operating Budget: $3.4 billion, Global Peacekeeping Operations: $8.5 billion and Total Proposed Appropriations: $14 billion.
​Ambassador Ibrahim clarified that the submission represents a draft proposal that will undergo detailed legislative review and negotiation among UN member states before final adoption and execution.
​Ambassador Ibrahim expressed strong optimism that Nigeria’s active involvement in the UN budget process will deliver tangible development dividends for the nation and the broader West African sub-region.
He referenced ongoing major infrastructure projects financed by the UN across the continent, such as the construction of a $260 million UN conference centre in Kenya, as evidence of the scale of multilateral investments that strategic engagement can attract.
​The presentation underscores Nigeria’s commitment under President Tinubu’s administration to strengthen its foreign policy footprint and ensure Africa’s voice remains central in international financial and administrative governance.
