A pan-African policy organisation, the African Policy and Research Consortium (APRC), has thrown its weight behind Nigerian law professor and stateswoman, Prof. Akasoba Duke-Abiola, for the position of United Nations Secretary-General, describing her candidature as an opportunity for Africa to provide transformative leadership at the highest level of global governance.
The consortium, dedicated to advancing Africa’s development agenda through research, innovation and strategic partnerships, announced its support in a nomination letter addressed to the relevant authorities on Thursday in Abuja.
Prof. Edward Agbai, APRC’s Deputy Executive-Coordinator, said the endorsement followed communication received through the Nigerian National Think Tank on the nomination of Duke-Abiola, who is the widow of the late Nigerian politician and businessman, M.K.O. Abiola, for consideration in the race to succeed outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose tenure ends on Dec. 31, 2026.
Agbai said APRC recognised Duke-Abiola’s record of public service, intellectual contribution and commitment to global issues, describing the UN Secretary-General position as one of the most influential leadership roles in international affairs.
“The office of the Secretary-General is one of the most significant leadership positions in global governance, requiring not only exceptional personal qualifications, but also the formal backing of a member state of the United Nations,” he stated.
The consortium, however, acknowledged that the path to the UN’s top administrative office requires formal state sponsorship, stressing that candidates must be officially presented by a UN member state.
According to APRC, the nomination process begins with a member state submitting a candidate’s name to the President of the UN Security Council. The Security Council then considers the nominees and recommends a candidate to the UN General Assembly, which appoints the Secretary-General.
Agbai noted that for a Nigerian candidate to proceed, the formal nomination and endorsement of the President of Nigeria through the country’s constitutional and diplomatic channels remains crucial.
He therefore called for President Bola Tinubu’s support for Duke-Abiola’s candidature, arguing that such endorsement would strengthen Nigeria’s position in advancing qualified African leadership at the global level, particularly as the country pursues greater influence within the United Nations system.
“Presentation of Duke-Abiola would affirm Nigeria’s readiness to place before the international community a candidate of formidable intellectual, governmental and diplomatic stature,” APRC said.
The organisation added that her emergence would demonstrate Africa’s capacity to shape global conversations, rather than merely participate in them.
“For Africa, her candidature would represent the continent not as a passive recipient of international policy, but as a source of global leadership, ideas, mediation, institutional wisdom and moral authority,” it stated.
Duke-Abiola, a Nigerian law professor, human rights advocate and public policy figure, has been described by supporters as possessing experience in diplomacy, security, sustainable development and international leadership.
Her potential bid comes as global discussions intensify over the future leadership of the United Nations, with expectations that member states will begin positioning candidates ahead of the end of Guterres’ second term.
The UN Secretary-General serves as the organisation’s chief administrative officer and plays a central role in global diplomacy, peace efforts, humanitarian coordination and the implementation of international development goals.
