President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has entered the history books as the first Nigerian President to receive the United Nations proposed budget.
The seven-volume document was presented to him at the State House, Abuja, by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim.
Ibrahim, who currently chairs the UN General Assembly’s Fifth Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Matters, said the presentation followed the submission of the 2027 budget proposal by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to his committee.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting on Sunday, October 18, 2026, Ibrahim described the moment as historic for Nigeria.
According to him, this is the first time in 66 years of Nigeria’s membership of the UN that the country is chairing the Budget and Administrative Committee.
“This is the first time in 66 years that Nigeria will chair the Budget and Administrative Committee. It is the first time, and we do not know when it will happen again in history,” he said.
“So President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is making history by being able to receive this budget. He is the first Nigerian President in 66 years to receive the UN budget from the United Nations.”
He explained that the proposed budget covers the regular activities of the UN and its peacekeeping operations. The regular budget is estimated at about $3.4 billion, while peacekeeping is about $8.5 billion, bringing the combined total to about $14 billion, which is approximately N36 trillion to N40 trillion.
Ibrahim stressed that the document is still a proposal and will go through detailed discussions, adjustments and final approval by member states before any spending begins.
Reacting to the presentation, President Tinubu commended the envoy, saying, “I am proud of you.” He noted that it is not a small matter for a country to receive the entire UN budget.
Leave a comment