Vice President Kashim Shettima has resumed duties in Abuja after returning from his two-week vacation two days earlier than the date officially announced for his return.
Officials close to the Vice President confirmed that Shettima arrived in Abuja late on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.
“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 at the State House, Abuja, where President Bola Tinubu presided over proceedings.
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His early resumption came on the same day campaigns officially began ahead of the 2027 general elections, following the commencement date announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Shettima had embarked on the two-week leave on August 6, with President Tinubu’s approval. It was his first official leave since he and Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023.
When the leave was announced, the Vice President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, said the break would provide an opportunity for “study, reflection and intellectual renewal.”
According to Nkwocha, the period was also intended to allow Shettima to assess the administration’s ongoing programmes while expanding his understanding of emerging policy issues at both the national and international levels as the government prepared for an accelerated implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The statement further noted that Shettima had remained deeply involved in overseeing and coordinating key government programmes since taking office.
His responsibilities have particularly covered areas including economic development, food security, humanitarian affairs, digital transformation, employment generation and regional cooperation.
Shettima also serves as chairman of the National Economic Council, a body comprising the governors of Nigeria’s 36 states, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and other government officials.