Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria will support a candidate for the position of the United Nations secretary-general who believes in Africa’s aspirations in global affairs.

A statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, said Mr Shettima made the remarks when he met with the Costa Rican candidate, Rebeca Grynspan, in New York.

Mr Shettima said Nigeria would stand for equity, justice, and fairness in supporting any candidate seeking the position. He said he would recommend the Costa Rican diplomat based on Nigeria’s relationship with Latin America and gender inclusion, among other factors.

He restated the need to reform the global governance architecture, which has changed between 1945 and 2026.

Ms Grynspan sought Nigeria’s support for her candidature, saying she is eager to lead the UN in implementing the reforms and changes most countries, particularly in the Global South, are advocating for. She added that her candidature would promote an agenda that prioritises peace above other interests.

Ms Grynspan assured that Africa’s ambition to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council will receive urgent attention and be realised.

In a related development, Nigeria and the Netherlands have agreed to deepen collaboration to improve financial inclusion across different levels of Nigerian society. Under the arrangement, the Netherlands would leverage its expertise and experience in financial health to support programmes Nigeria is implementing on financial inclusion.

This was part of resolutions reached during a bilateral meeting between Vice President Kashim Shettima and the Queen of the Netherlands, Queen Maxima, in New York, United States.

Mr Shettima welcomed the Netherlands government’s offer of support to strengthen Nigeria’s drive for financial inclusion, targeting women and vulnerable people. He said the Netherlands’ focus on financial health and inclusion was not only apt but timely, noting that for Nigeria, the policy directly links to education, security, and poverty reduction.

(NAN)