Shettima back in Abuja from G20, AU-EU summits in South Africa, Angola

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Abuja following productive engagements at two major international summits—the 2025 Group of 20 (G20) Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the 7th African Union–European Union (AU-EU) Summit in Luanda, Angola.

Representing President Bola Tinubu, Shettima played a pivotal role in delivering Nigeria’s positions on key continental and global issues. At the AU-EU Summit, he conveyed President Tinubu’s call for Africa to gain permanent seats with veto powers on the United Nations Security Council, emphasising that “comprehensive reform of the global governance system is long overdue.”

According to a statement issued by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, the president also urged the European Union to partner with African nations in co-creating peace and security initiatives anchored on African-led frameworks, describing this as “a pathway to achieving sustainable stability across the continent.” Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to promoting peace, security, and democratic governance in Africa through strong collaboration with the EU to build “a more stable, just, and prosperous world.”

At the G20 Summit, President Tinubu underscored the urgent need for a fairer international financial system that effectively addresses recurring debt crises affecting many nations. His statement, delivered by Shettima, highlighted that current multilateral frameworks “were built in an era far removed from today’s complex global challenges” and must be updated accordingly.

In addition, at the third session of the G20 Summit, Tinubu advocated for a global framework ensuring that communities in Nigeria and Africa hosting critical minerals benefit from value addition locally. He also supported establishing global ethical standards for Artificial Intelligence (AI) to foster accelerated development worldwide.

Shettima’s return to Abuja marks the conclusion of Nigeria’s active and influential participation in these significant diplomatic forums.