President Tinubu Makes History As First Nigerian President To Receive Proposed $14 Billion UN Budget
President Tinubu Makes History As First Nigerian President To Receive Proposed $14 Billion UN Budget
President Bola Tinubu has received the proposed 2027 United Nations budget, marking what Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Jimoh Ibrahim, described as a historic first in 66 years.
Ibrahim, who chairs the UN General Assembly’s Fifth Committee responsible for administrative and budgetary matters, presented the seven-volume document to Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.
Speaking after the presentation, Ibrahim explained that the budget was submitted to the committee by the UN Secretary-General before being brought to Nigeria for the President to receive.
“This is the first time in 66 years that Nigeria will share budget in the committee. The first time. So I don’t know when we’re going to do that again in history,” he said.
He further described Tinubu’s receipt of the document as a significant milestone, noting that it was unusual for a country’s president to receive the UN’s proposed budget through the process.
“President Bola Tinubu is making history to have been able to receive that budget, being the first President in 66 years that will receive such budget from the United Nations,” Ibrahim added.
According to him, the proposal covers the organisation’s regular operations and peacekeeping missions, with approximately $3.4 billion earmarked for its regular budget and $8.5 billion for peacekeeping. He put the overall figure at about $14 billion, although the two allocations he cited total $11.9 billion.
Ibrahim clarified that the document had not been approved, explaining that member states would still examine the proposal, make adjustments and determine the final figures before spending could begin.
“The budget still has to be approved. This is a proposed budget. It’s at the proposed stage,” he said.
He also referenced a $267 million UN conference centre in Kenya as an example of the organisation’s investment in facilities within member countries.
The proposed 2027 budget will now undergo further deliberations before UN member states approve the final figures.
