Jimoh Ibrahim-led UN Committee Considers $3.3bn Budget As Nigeria Wins Human Rights Council Seat

By Funke Babs-Kufeji

Nigeria has secured a three-year seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, while Dr Jimoh Ibrahim chaired the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee during the presentation of Secretary-General António Guterres’ proposed $3.3 billion budget for 2027.
Nigeria was one of 15 countries elected to the 47-member council by secret ballot. Its term begins on January 1, 2027. The country received 172 votes, behind Zambia with 177 and Ghana with 173. Burundi won the fourth African seat with 160 votes. For Nigeria, the election comes alongside Ibrahim’s work as chair of the Fifth Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Matters, where discussions are underway on how the UN will fund its programmes and manage its operations.
Guterres has proposed a core budget of $3.302 billion for 2027, covering 11,150 posts. When major construction projects in Nairobi and the Strategic Heritage Plan in Geneva are included, the total rises to $3.408 billion. The core budget is $40.8 million, or about 1.2 per cent, below the approved 2026 figure. The proposal also includes $423 million for special political missions next year. Guterres congratulated Ibrahim on his election as committee chair and thanked him for his support. He said the committee’s work with the Secretariat had helped move reforms forward and address difficult administrative and budgetary issues.
Much of the proposed budget is tied to the UN80 Initiative, which aims to reduce duplication, improve services and lower operating costs. Some changes are already in place. Payroll operations have been consolidated, shared administrative platforms launched in New York and Bangkok, and some functions moved to cheaper locations. The UN plans to extend the shared platforms to Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna and Addis Ababa. These changes have come with job cuts. Guterres said 3,116 regular budget posts had been removed. The Secretariat also introduced a voluntary early separation programme and reassigned staff to vacant positions in an effort to reduce the impact on employees.
The next phase includes 44 additional relocations across 12 UN entities, with Nairobi receiving the largest share. The budget also proposes abolishing or downgrading 14 senior-level posts to reduce management costs. Guterres said the savings would be redirected to programme activities, rather than simply removed from the budget. The proposal still provides funding for development programmes, disability inclusion, investigations relating to Afghanistan and upgrades to the UN’s internal systems. It also includes an additional $22 million for after-service health insurance, as healthcare costs rise and more retirees receive coverage.
Despite the cuts, Guterres said the organisation would continue working on peace and security, sustainable development and human rights. He also called for stronger accountability, with clearer links between spending and results.
The bigger concern, however, is whether the UN will receive the money it needs to do its work. Guterres warned that cutting costs would not solve the organisation’s financial problems if member states failed to pay their contributions on time. “Efficiency alone cannot compensate for an unstable financial foundation,” he said, urging countries to meet their financial obligations in full and on time, as required by the UN Charter. The Fifth Committee will examine the proposed budget before it proceeds to the General Assembly for approval.