Nigeria has recorded a major diplomatic and economic breakthrough after securing a permanent seat on the board of the African Central Bank at the ongoing 39th African Union Summit.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tugger, confirmed the development on Friday, describing it as a strategic milestone for Nigeria and the wider West African region.
“Importantly, Nigeria has been given the hosting of the African Monetary Institute and the African Central Bank. Not only that, in today’s plenary, Nigeria was confirmed a seat on the board of the African Central Bank. This is huge,” Tuggar said.
He noted that the move represents a diplomatic breakthrough, adding that it faced initial resistance from some member states.
“It is something that was initially resisted by some countries, so now we have a permanent seat on the African Central Bank board. It’s a major success,” he added.
This year’s summit, hosted by the African Union, is being held under the theme: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”
Discussions are focused on strengthening continental commitments to sustainable water management and improved sanitation—key pillars for public health, agriculture, and long-term development under the AU’s Agenda 2063 framework.
Beyond financial governance, Nigeria and the West African bloc also recorded gains in elections to the Peace and Security Council, the AU’s highest decision-making body on conflict and security.
The Nigerian delegation announced that Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and the Republic of Benin were elected, with Benin securing a fresh term while the other two countries were re-elected.
The Peace and Security Council also met to deliberate on the situations in Sudan and Somalia. Tuggar said Nigeria voiced strong reservations over Sudan’s possible readmission.
“Nigeria voiced its reservations about Sudan being readmitted because, as you know, there are two warring factions in Sudan,” he said.
“We reminded the Peace and Security Council that we have to abide by the rules and regulations of the African Union. If there has been an unconstitutional change of government, then the country should not be allowed to participate, and that was carried.”
Looking ahead, the summit also unveiled its 2026 theme: water sustainability. Tuggar highlighted Nigeria’s strategic importance in advancing the agenda.
“Nigeria was created out of the confluence of the River Niger and the River Benue. So water is very important,” he said.
“We are the largest country in Africa, with a population of 230 million people. We’re going to be 400 million in the next 24 years. So water is a source of life. It’s very important, and we’re playing a very pivotal role in implementing the programs that are being set for the theme of the year.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s delegation was further strengthened with the arrival of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who is expected to participate in high-level plenary sessions.
