Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Nigeria from his two-week leave, resuming his official duties two days before the scheduled date of August 20, 2026.
Sources within the Vice President’s office confirmed that Shettima arrived in Abuja late Tuesday, August 18.
“He returned yesterday evening,” said one official on Wednesday.
“We were expecting him since yesterday. He has resumed,” an aide confirmed.
Despite his return, Shettima was absent from Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the Council Chamber of the State House in Abuja.
His early return came as political parties commenced campaigns on Wednesday, following the commencement of the 2027 electioneering period announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Shettima had embarked on the two-week vacation on August 6 with the approval of President Tinubu.
It was his first official leave since he assumed office as Vice President on May 29, 2023.
At the time, his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, said the leave would provide an opportunity for the Vice President to engage in “study, reflection and intellectual renewal.”
According to Nkwocha, the break was also intended to enable Shettima to assess ongoing government programmes and strengthen his understanding of emerging national and international policy issues as the administration intensifies implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The statement noted that Shettima had remained actively involved in coordinating and supervising key government initiatives since taking office, particularly in economic development, food security, humanitarian affairs, digital transformation, job creation and regional cooperation.
The Vice President also chairs the National Economic Council, comprising the governors of Nigeria’s 36 states, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and other senior government officials.
