Ban Ki-Moon made the appeal while addressing State House correspondents shortly after having a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
During his meeting with the President, Mr Ki-Moon stressed a strong solidarity with the affected families and the Nigerian people.
He described the abduction of the girls form their dormitory in a government school in Chibok, Borno State on April 14, 2014 and other Nigerians in the north-east as intolerable.
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Mr Ban said that terrorism knows no boundaries and more than ever, collaboration is indispensable in the fight.
While congratulating President Buhari on his stand on corruption and fight against terrorism, the Secretary-General described Nigeria as a source of support to Africa.
He promised the UN support for the President’s agenda, saying “When you change Nigeria, you have also changed Africa.”
Mr Ban commended the contribution of Nigeria to UN peace operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone and the crucial role it is currently playing in the UN Security Council.
He also commended President Buhari’s stand on human rights in the fight against terror, saying that military operations alone will not be sufficient.
He however called for more effort to be centered on tackling the root causes of terrorism such as expansion of educational and employment opportunities for young people.
On his part, President Buhari thanked Ban Ki-Moon for the steps taken by the UN to assist the country, he also thanked him for extending an invitation to him, to attend the UN General Assembly holding in New York on September 27 and 28.