Nigeria elected to UN Human Rights Council for 2027-2029 term
United Nations UN
Abdullateef Fowewe
Nigeria has secured a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2027-2029 term after receiving strong support in a secret ballot by the UN General Assembly.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the result in a statement on Wednesday, stating that Nigeria secured 172 of the 181 votes cast during the election held on 13 October 2026.
The country was elected alongside 14 other states and will serve a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2027 and ending on 31 December 2029.
In its official press release, the ministry said, “Nigeria’s election reflects international confidence in its commitment to advancing human rights and improving human rights conditions across the world.”
It added, “Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to sustaining dialogue, cooperation and mutual respect with Member States, and looks forward to working closely with Council Members in advancing the mandate of the Council and strengthening international efforts towards the promotion and protection of human rights.”
The ministry further noted that Nigeria “reiterates its commitment to constructive multilateral engagement and supporting initiatives that uphold human dignity, justice and respect for fundamental freedoms.”
The other countries elected are Brazil, Burundi, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Nepal, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Uruguay and Zambia.
Several of them, including Burundi, Ghana, Japan, Kuwait, Brazil and the Dominican Republic, were re-elected.
The Geneva-based Human Rights Council is a 47-member intergovernmental body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world.
Seats are allocated by regional groups, with about one-third of the membership renewed each year through staggered three-year terms.
All 15 candidates ran unchallenged in this year’s election.
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dr Jimoh Ibrahim, has welcomed the outcome and congratulated President Bola Tinubu on the successful bid.
