Shettima Departs Abuja for BRICS Summit as Tinubu Begins Three-Week UK Holiday
E-ISSN: 2354-4481
By Nnanna Wisdom
Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for New Delhi, India, where he will represent President Bola Tinubu at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit taking place this weekend.
Shettima’s trip comes as President Tinubu is currently in the United Kingdom on a three-week annual leave, leaving the two highest-ranking officials of the Federal Government outside Nigeria.
The summit is scheduled to hold at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi under India’s 2026 BRICS chairship theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
According to the Presidency, Nigeria’s participation is expected to strengthen the country’s engagement with BRICS member states and advance South-South cooperation.
Nigeria became a BRICS partner country in January 2025. The government is expected to use the summit to promote investment opportunities in key sectors of the Nigerian economy, including agriculture, energy and solid minerals.
Shettima’s participation will also provide an opportunity for Nigeria to engage other emerging economies on trade, finance, development and security issues.
However, the timing of the Vice President’s trip has generated public discussion, particularly because President Tinubu is already outside the country.
At the time President Tinubu departed for London, Shettima was in Angola attending an Extraordinary Summit of the African Union.
His subsequent departure for India means both the President and Vice President are currently outside Nigeria.
The development has also renewed questions about the constitutional arrangement for the transfer of presidential powers when the President travels outside the country.
The Presidency has not publicly indicated that Shettima has been formally designated as Acting President in connection with Tinubu’s current absence.
The situation has attracted criticism from Nigerians and political commentators, with concerns raised about the cost and optics of having the country’s two highest-ranking officials undertake foreign engagements at the same period.
The criticism comes amid continuing economic pressures, including high living costs, inflation and concerns over insecurity across parts of the country.
Supporters of the administration, however, maintain that both foreign engagements are official and serve Nigeria’s diplomatic, economic and strategic interests.
Shettima is expected to return to Nigeria after concluding his engagements in India, while President Tinubu is expected to remain in the United Kingdom for the duration of his three-week annual leave.
