United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on Nigeria to spearhead Africa’s quest for a restructured global order, describing the country as uniquely positioned to lead the continent toward greater global influence.

(L-R) Minster of Foreign Affairs, Amb Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Vice President Kashim Shettima, UN Secretary General, Mr Antonio Guterres and UN Deputy Secretary General, Mrs Amina Mohammed during a high-level bilateral meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima on the sidelines of the 39th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Friday, 13-02-2026

Guterres made the remarks on Friday during a high-level bilateral meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima on the sidelines of the African Union’s 39th summit in Addis Ababa.

He praised the economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and commended Nigeria’s leadership role in promoting stability across West Africa and the Sahel despite its own security challenges.

According to the UN chief, Nigeria’s large population, democratic continuity, abundant natural and human resources, and longstanding commitment to multilateral diplomacy place it in a strong position to champion Africa’s interests in an evolving global system.

“Given Nigeria’s demographic strength, democratic continuity and deep resource base, the country stands a real chance of leading Africa to becoming the next superpower in the evolving global architecture,” Guterres said.

The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between Nigeria and the United Nations in areas including economic growth, peace and security, sustainable development, and coordinated humanitarian response across Africa.

Responding, Shettima thanked Guterres for his leadership in advancing global peace, noting that Africa had benefitted significantly from his tenure at the UN, even as the organisation undergoes internal restructuring.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to multilateralism and stronger partnerships with global institutions, while reiterating the country’s longstanding call for comprehensive reform of the UN system to reflect current geopolitical realities. The Vice President stressed that Africa deserves stronger representation in global decision-making structures and maintained that Nigeria should occupy a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Both leaders pledged to deepen collaboration, with Guterres reaffirming the UN’s support for Nigeria’s reform agenda and its expanding role in promoting peace, security, and development across the African continent.

The United States military is preparing contingency plans for what could become a sustained, weeks-long military campaign against Iran, should President Donald Trump authorize an attack, according to two U.S. officials cited by Reuters.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, said the planning envisions a broader and more prolonged operation than previous confrontations between the two nations.

The disclosure comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran. U.S. and Iranian officials met in Oman last week in an attempt to revive stalled negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. The talks followed an increased U.S. military buildup in the region, which has heightened tensions and raised fears of possible armed conflict.

According to U.S. officials, the Pentagon is deploying an additional aircraft carrier to the Middle East, along with thousands of troops, fighter jets, guided-missile destroyers, and other assets capable of carrying out offensive and defensive operations.

Speaking to U.S. troops at a base in North Carolina, President Trump acknowledged the difficulty of reaching an agreement with Iran.

“Sometimes you have to have fear. That’s the only thing that really will get the situation taken care of,” Trump said.

Responding to questions about the military preparations, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said the president is keeping all options open regarding Iran. “President Trump has all options on the table with regard to Iran,” she said, adding that he consults widely before making decisions in the interest of national security. The Pentagon declined to comment.

Last year, the U.S. deployed two aircraft carriers to the region during heightened tensions. In June, Washington carried out “Midnight Hammer,” a one-off strike in which stealth bombers flew from the United States to target Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran responded with a limited retaliatory strike on a U.S. base in Qatar.

However, officials indicated that the current planning is more complex. In a sustained campaign, U.S. forces could target a broader range of Iranian state and security installations, not solely nuclear infrastructure.

Military analysts warn that such an operation would significantly increase risks to American forces. Iran possesses a substantial missile arsenal capable of striking U.S. assets across the region, raising the possibility of a wider regional conflict if hostilities escalate.

A quiet Thursday night turned tragic at South Carolina State University after gunfire erupted at a residential complex on its campus in Orangeburg, leaving two people dead and another wounded.

The incident was reported at approximately 9:15 p.m. (0215 GMT), prompting a heavy law enforcement presence and an immediate campus-wide lockdown. Officers secured the area and carried out extensive searches that stretched into the early hours of Friday.

Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims. Officials also have not provided further details about the condition of the injured individual.

University administrators confirmed that Friday’s classes were cancelled as investigations continue. In a statement, the institution said counselling support would be made available to students and staff as the campus community processes the fatal shooting in South Carolina.

Law enforcement agencies remained on the scene for several hours as they worked to determine the circumstances surrounding the attack.