Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has returned to Abuja after representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union and the 30th AU General Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to a statement issued Sunday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima participated in the summit held between February 14 and 15, 2026.
UN urges Nigeria to lead Africa’s global ambitions
During the summit, Shettima secured the support of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who called on Nigeria to take a leading role in shaping a restructured global order.
Guterres urged Nigeria to spearhead Africa’s push for greater global influence, describing the country as uniquely positioned to help lead the continent toward superpower status, the statement said.
Shettima advocates Africa’s health independence
At a high-level side event titled “Building Africa’s Health Security Sovereignty,” the Vice President called for urgent action to reduce Africa’s dependence on foreign aid and external medical supply chains.
He stressed that Africa must prioritise self-reliance in healthcare systems to safeguard its population.
Shettima said the shift was necessary to ensure “the health of Africans is not subjected to uncertainties of distant supply chains or the shifting priorities of global panic.”
Focus on water security and development goals
The summit, themed “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” centred on strengthening water security, sanitation systems and advancing the African Union’s long-term development blueprint.
Beyond the main sessions, Shettima held bilateral meetings and participated in strategic discussions with political and business leaders aimed at deepening Nigeria’s diplomatic, economic and strategic partnerships across Africa.
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