Wetin to expect from African leaders for 2026 UNGA as Shettima, Mahama, Ruto and odas represent continent

World leaders dey currently gada for di United States of America to attend di 81st edition of di United Nations General Assembly wey dey happun for di State of New York, wit di theme: 'Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations wey go deliva for all'.

Presidents and Heads of Govments of many African kontris also dey attend di UNGA wia e dey expected say dem go bring many of di challenges wey di continent dey face to di global stage.

Nigeria President, however, no personally attend di gathering, but Vice President Kashim Shettima dey represent Nigeria, and na im go address di Assembly on behalf of di President.

African presidents dey also use dis opportunity to hold bilateral meetings wit one anoda and strengthen regional relationships

Hia na some of di ogbonge topics wey some of di African leaders tok about for dis global gathering wey go last from 21 to 25 September 2026:

President William Ruto of Kenya

Kenya President William Ruto, for plenty events on di sidelines of di UNGA, bin tok about several issues ranging from cleaner cooking energy solutions for Africa, safer AI learning opportunities for children, and beta financing solutions to reduce Africa debts.

On cleaner energy, oga Ruto tok say: "Clean cooking na energy infrastructure, (and e dey) vital to public health, economic opportunity and Africa green transition.

"Achieving universal access go require investment. We must to mobilise capital through local-currency financing, guarantees and oda instruments wey go turn demand into viable projects.

President Ruto say for di ongoing UNGA, Kenya and Norway also co-host "di first high-level event on clean cooking for Africa", and di second summit go hold for Nairobi for January 2027.

Oga Ruto also tok about di need for "urgent reform" for di global finance infrastructure to address di level of debt wey many African kontris dey struggle wit.

"High debt costs dey squeeze national budgets and limit investment for jobs, education, health and infrastructure," Ruto tok for one Unicef meeting on di sidelines of di UNGA.

Ruto add say di future of African children also dey affected by rising cost of debts, bicos payment of interests go crowd out investment for classrooms, healthcare, nutrition and social protection for children.

Di Kenyan President, for anoda meeting, tok about di importance of making AI safer for children to learn.

"Kenya dey advance stronger safeguards for children while making sure say dem fit benefit fully from technology.

"No child suppose dey choose between being connected and being safe. As AI dey transform how children dey learn, create and connect, safety gatz suppose dey built into technology from di beginning," Ruto tok.

Di Sierra Leone leader also call for dis same principle of fairness to apply to Africa critical minerals, wey according to am, dey indispensable to global energy transition "yet too much value dey added elsewia".

"Processing at source, fair value chains, technology transfer and local industry, go turn natural wealth into skilled work, stronger economies and hope for our young pipo," Ruto tok.

President Ruto go officially address di General Assembly dis Wednesday.

President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone

President Bio, during im speech for di UNGA on Tuesday, tok say respect must dey for international laws, witout regard to weda di kontri involved dey weak or strong.

"Trust na di currency of multilateralism. You gain trust wen di law protect di vulnerable as frimly as e restrain di powerful. International law no suppose change wit geography or bend according to di identity of di accused," Bio tok.

Di Sierra Leonean President tok dis one in reference to di crisis for di Middle East and e insist say "di UN charter and international law must to guide us".

Oga Bio also highlight di need to reform di UN Security Council to give Africa two permanent seats - "wit all di rights and privileges of permanent membership" - wit five non-permanent seats.

E den go ahead to make strong case for wetin e describe as "reparative justice" for di crimes against humanity committed against millions of Africans during di transatlantic slave trade era.

Bio acknowledge di declaration by di UN in March dis year, say slave trade na crime against humanity, but e tok say e no suppose end dia.

"Reparative justice, therefore, no be plea for charity, na call for acknowledgement, formal apology, di return of cultural heritage, fair redress and guarantee of non-repetition," e tok.

Kashim Shettima of Nigeria

Nigeria Vice President, Kashim Shettima go address di UNGA on behalf of di kontri President Bola Tinubu, wey don extend im ongoing 'working leave' for France.

Shettima dey scheduled to address di assembly on Thursday, September 24, and according to im tok-tok pesin, Stanley Nkwocha, di Vice President go tok on different issues wey di Tinubu administration consider as dia priorities, such as "reform of international institutions, sustainable development, peace and security, climate action and more equitable global economic order".

However, on di sidelines, Shettima bin don dey attend several meetings, including di third High-Level Roundtable of di Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG).

For dat meeting Oga Shettima tok say Africa must push to end di continent dependence on di export of raw minerals, but rather African leaders must begin to tink of how to build processing, manufacturing and value-addition industries around critical mineral resources.

"Africa mineral wealth must translate into jobs, industrial growth and improved living standards for Africans," Shettima tok, according to Nkwocha, and kontris for di continent must start to dey cooperate rather dan compete.

President John Mahama of Ghana

Ghana President John Mahama go also address di UN General Assembly on Thursday, 24 September, however e bin host one ogbonge event on Monday 21 September, wia world leaders gada to tok more on di 'Accra Reset'.

Di Accra Reset na initiative of President Mahama to make kontris tink more about how to develop dia own health and development agenda, and not to dey always rely on external financing and aids.

Di theme of dat meeting na 'Full Circle: Making Global Development Work Again."

Oga Mahama go also attend anoda event dis Wednesday, to follow up on di issue of reparation for Africa for di crimes against humanity committed against citizens of di continent during di transatlantic slave trade.

For dis meeting, President Mahama dey expected to deliver address on di topic: "From Commitments to Action on Reparatory Justice: Advancing International Cooperation for the Return and Restitution of Cultural Properties and Heritage."