Nigeria Pays $6.3m UN Dues as Jimoh Leads Talks on $3.3bn Budget

Nigeria has paid its full assessed contribution to the United Nations’ 2026 regular budget, alongside substantial payments towards its peacekeeping obligations, as the country’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Ibrahim Jimoh, leads negotiations on the organisation’s proposed $3.3 billion budget for 2027.

Jimoh announced the development on Tuesday while chairing the UN General Assembly’s Fifth Committee, which is responsible for administrative and budgetary matters, during the presentation of the proposed budget by outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the organisation’s headquarters in New York.

The payments covering Nigeria’s regular budget and peacekeeping obligations amounted to approximately $6.3 million.

The ambassador commended President Bola Tinubu for ensuring that Nigeria met its financial commitments to the international organisation amid growing concerns over its liquidity challenges.

Jimoh also urged other member states to pay their assessed contributions promptly, warning that delays could undermine the UN’s ability to implement its programmes and sustain operations.

“Member countries must pay their dues on time, on schedule, without conditions,” he said.

He expressed appreciation to countries that had fulfilled their obligations and called on others to follow suit.

Jimoh also introduced measures to improve the efficiency of the Fifth Committee’s proceedings, including limiting national statements to three minutes and group statements to five minutes.

He said the measures were intended to reduce lengthy diplomatic formalities and ensure more productive deliberations.

Presenting the proposed 2027 budget, Guterres said the organisation required adequate and predictable funding to respond to growing global challenges, including geopolitical tensions, armed conflicts, climate disruption and rapid technological changes.

He warned that humanitarian needs were increasing, international law was facing growing disregard, and the Sustainable Development Goals were falling further behind schedule.

The proposed 2027 programme budget stands at $3.302 billion and covers 11,150 posts. The figure would rise to $3.408 billion when major construction projects in Nairobi and the Strategic Heritage Plan in Geneva are included.

According to Guterres, the proposal represents a reduction of about $40.8 million, or 1.2 per cent, compared with the approved 2026 budget.

He attributed the reduction partly to ongoing reforms under the UN80 initiative, which seeks to improve institutional efficiency, accountability and service delivery.

The Secretary-General disclosed that the UN Secretariat had introduced measures to mitigate the impact of eliminating 3,116 regular budget posts. The measures include voluntary early separation programmes, staff reassignment and efforts to preserve workforce diversity.

The proposed restructuring also involves relocating 44 additional functions across 12 UN entities, with Nairobi expected to receive the largest share, as well as abolishing or downgrading 14 senior-level positions to reduce administrative costs.

Guterres, however, cautioned that efficiency measures alone would not resolve the organisation’s financial challenges.

“Efficiency alone cannot compensate for an unstable financial foundation,” he said, stressing that the UN’s ability to deliver on its mandate depended on predictable financing and the timely availability of funds.

He called on member states to meet their financial obligations fully and promptly to safeguard the organisation’s operations and programmes.