By Tiamiyu Prudence Arobani
United Nations, Oct. 13, 2026
Nigeria has fully paid its assessed contribution to the United Nations’ 2026 regular budget as its Permanent Representative, Amb. Ibrahim Jimoh, presided over negotiations on the organisation’s proposed 3.3 billion dollars budget for 2027.
Jimoh announced the payment on Tuesday while chairing the General Assembly’s influential Fifth Committee during the presentation of the proposed 3.302 billion dollars budget by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Nigeria has also made substantial payments towards its UN peacekeeping assessments with payments to both UN obligations amounting to approximately 6.3 million dollars.
The Nigerian envoy commended President Bola Tinubu for ensuring that Nigeria fulfilled its financial obligations to the world body amid mounting concerns over the organisation’s liquidity crisis.
“I must also use this opportunity to thank the president of my country, Bola Tinubu, who had also by yesterday fully paid his commitment to the United Nations,” Jimoh declared.
Jimoh urged other Member States to fulfil their financial commitments promptly, stressing the importance of predictable funding for the UN’s operations and programmes.
“Member countries must pay their dues on time, on schedule, without conditions,” he said.
The ambassador thanked countries that had fulfilled their assessed contributions and expressed optimism that others would follow.
He also introduced measures to improve efficiency in the Committee’s proceedings, urging delegations to avoid lengthy diplomatic courtesies and observe strict speaking limits.
“This is done for the sake of time and efficiency,” Jimoh explained, limiting national statements to three minutes and group statements to five minutes.
Welcoming Guterres to the meeting, Jimoh described the Secretary-General’s presentation as an important stage in the Committee’s consideration of the organisation’s financial requirements.
The UN chief described the presentation as particularly significant because it would be his final annual programme budget proposal before completing his tenure.
Guterres warned that geopolitical divisions, persistent conflicts, climate disruption and rapid technological changes were placing enormous pressures on the United Nations.
“The challenges before us are profound,” he declared, warning that humanitarian needs were soaring while international law was increasingly disregarded.
He added that the Sustainable Development Goals were slipping further out of reach, making the UN’s continued effectiveness essential.
The Secretary-General disclosed that the proposed 2027 programme budget amounted to 3.302 billion dollars, covering 11,150 posts.
The figure would increase to 3.408 billion dollars when major construction projects in Nairobi and the Strategic Heritage Plan in Geneva were included.
According to Guterres, the proposal represents a reduction of approximately 40.8 million dollars, or 1.2 per cent, compared with the approved 2026 budget.
He explained that the proposal reflected continuing reforms under the UN80 initiative, designed to improve institutional efficiency, accountability and service delivery.
Guterres disclosed that the Secretariat had already undertaken measures to mitigate the impact of eliminating 3,116 regular budget posts.
These included voluntary early separation programmes, staff reassignment and measures to preserve workforce diversity.
He also proposed relocating 44 additional functions across 12 UN entities, with Nairobi receiving the largest share.
The proposed restructuring includes the abolition or downgrading of 14 senior-level posts as part of efforts to reduce administrative costs.
However, Guterres emphasised that institutional reforms could not succeed without predictable financing warning, “efficiency alone cannot compensate for an unstable financial foundation.
“Our ability to deliver depends on predictable financing and the timely availability of cash,” the Secretary-General added.
He urged Member States to fulfil their financial obligations fully and promptly, stressing that payment delays continued to undermine UN operations.
