Vice President Kashim Shettima attended the UN General Assembly opening where U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed delegates.
On the sidelines, he met Namibian President Nandi-Ndaitwah, who announced plans to visit Nigeria officially.
Vice President Kashim Shettima joined other global leaders at the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly, where U.S. President Donald Trump delivered the keynote address welcoming delegates.
On the sidelines, Vice President Shettima hosted Namibia’s President, Nandi-Ndaitwah, for bilateral talks. The Namibian leader, who assumed office on March 21, 2025, praised Nigerian diplomats for their support to her government and announced plans to make an official visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Nigeria. She described the UNGA as a timely opportunity to meet Shettima personally, stating her intention to come to Nigeria “to introduce myself to the President.”
Vice President Shettima reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening relations with Namibia, stressing that both nations should elevate their partnership to a higher level. The meeting was attended by senior officials from both countries, including Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; and Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa.
In a separate high-level engagement, Shettima met with a delegation from the Gates Foundation led by CEO Mark Suzman. He expressed gratitude for the foundation’s contributions to Nigeria’s healthcare, agriculture, and financial inclusion sectors, while urging increased investment. Minister Alausa also appealed for more support in education, especially in technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
Suzman responded by pledging enhanced investment in human capital development, education, and health. He highlighted the foundation’s achievements in digital identity and financial inclusion initiatives in Nigeria, and commended the commitment of President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima to development priorities.
