Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed New York for Germany after representing President Bola Tinubu at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
In Germany, Shettima is expected to hold strategic meetings with officials of Deutsche Bank to discuss potential areas of partnership in Nigeria’s developmental agenda.
During the week-long UNGA activities, the Vice President delivered Nigeria’s national statement on behalf of President Tinubu, calling for reforms at the United Nations and demanding a permanent seat for Nigeria on the Security Council. He also urged greater African control over the continent’s $700 billion mineral wealth and emphasized digital inclusion as a pathway to global equity.
Shettima further showcased Nigeria’s $200 billion energy transition plan to global investors while strengthening bilateral ties with the United Kingdom on trade, defence, and migration.
On the sidelines of the General Assembly, he received commendation from UN Secretary-General António Guterres for Nigeria’s Security Council bid and engaged the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on healthcare and education initiatives. He also positioned Nigeria as a natural hub for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), valued at $3.4 trillion.
The Vice President departed New York through John F. Kennedy International Airport, where he was seen off by cabinet ministers who attended the UNGA session and officials of Nigeria’s Mission in the U.S. He is scheduled to return to Nigeria immediately after his engagements in Germany.
