Dare Babalola
Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he will represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 2026 African Union (AU) Summit.
The high-profile event is themed “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063” and will focus on advancing continental commitments toward sustainable water management and improved sanitation systems.
According to a statement signed on Thursday by Stanley Nwokocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications (Office of the Vice President), Shettima is accompanied by cabinet ministers and other senior government officials.
The Vice President will join other African leaders at the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of AU Heads of State and Government, as well as the 30th General Assembly, scheduled to hold on February 14 and 15, 2026, respectively.
On the margins of the Summit, Shettima will participate in high-level side events and hold bilateral engagements with political and business leaders aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s diplomatic, economic, and strategic partnerships across the continent.
He is expected to return to Nigeria at the conclusion of his official engagements in Addis Ababa.
The 2026 African Union Summit is a significant event that aims to drive progress toward achieving the goals of Agenda 2063, the AU’s long-term development framework.
Nigeria’s participation, led by Vice President Shettima, underscores the country’s commitment to regional cooperation and sustainable development in Africa.
