Vice-President Kashim Shettima has returned to Nigeria from a two-week official leave, resuming his duties two days ahead of his scheduled return.
Highly placed government officials said Shettima arrived in Abuja late on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, after beginning his leave on 6 August with the approval of President Bola Tinubu.
The Vice-President, however, was not present at Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House in Abuja, which was presided over by President Tinubu.
Shettima’s early return comes as political activities gather pace ahead of the 2027 general elections, with campaigns officially getting under way.
The leave was the Vice-President’s first official break since he assumed office in May 2023.
Announcing the leave earlier this month, Shettima’s media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, said it was intended to provide time for “study, reflection and intellectual renewal”.
Nkwocha said the Vice-President would also use the period to review government programmes and consider emerging national and global policy issues.
Shettima chairs the National Economic Council, a key economic policy body comprising state governors, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and other senior government officials.
He also oversees several strategic initiatives of the federal government.
The Vice-President was originally expected to return to official duties on 20 August.
