Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Nigeria after spending two weeks on leave, arriving in Abuja two days earlier than his officially scheduled resumption date of August 20, 2026.
Officials in the Vice President’s office confirmed that Shettima returned late on Tuesday, August 18, and had resumed his duties.
However, he was absent from Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House in Abuja, which was chaired by President Bola Tinubu.
Shettima’s return came as political activities for the 2027 general elections officially began on August 19, in line with the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The Vice President had commenced his two-week leave on August 6 with President Tinubu’s approval. It was his first official leave since he assumed office on May 29, 2023.
At the time, his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, said the break would provide an opportunity for “study, reflection and intellectual renewal.”
The leave was also intended to enable Shettima to review ongoing government programmes and examine emerging national and international policy issues as the administration intensifies implementation of its Renewed Hope Agenda.
Since taking office, Shettima has remained involved in several key areas of government, including economic development, food security, humanitarian affairs, digital transformation, employment generation and regional cooperation.
He also chairs the National Economic Council, which comprises the governors of Nigeria’s 36 states, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and other senior government officials.
