Kashim Shettima, Vice-President of Nigeria, has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), scheduled for February 14–15, 2026.
The summit, themed “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” will focus on strengthening continental commitments to sustainable water management, improved sanitation systems, and broader development targets under the AU’s Agenda 2063 blueprint.
Shettima was received at Bole International Airport by Ethiopia’s Minister of Innovation and Technology, Belete Mola, and State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Berhanu Tsegaye.
Also present to welcome him were Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; senior officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Addis Ababa; and other government representatives. Tuggar subsequently briefed the Vice-President on his itinerary and planned engagements at the summit.
In a statement issued on Friday, Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reported that Tuggar highlighted Nigeria’s diplomatic achievements at the recently concluded 48th Session of the AU Executive Council.
Tuggar noted that Nigeria recorded significant diplomatic and institutional milestones that reinforced its leadership role in advancing Africa’s economic integration. On peace, security, and democratic governance, he pointed out that a major outcome of the session was the Council’s decision to grant Nigeria a permanent seat on the Board of the African Central Bank.
This landmark development also extends Nigeria’s representation to the Board of the Technical Convergence Committee of the African Monetary Institute, the precursor to the African Central Bank, affirming Nigeria’s technical capacity, economic significance, and commitment to Africa’s monetary integration agenda.
