Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where he will represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the inauguration of President Alassane Ouattara, who is beginning his fourth term in office.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, said Shettima will join several African and international leaders for the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Monday, December 8, 2025, at the Presidential Palace in Abidjan.
The Vice President is travelling alongside the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Abubakar Bello; and Usman Zannah, who represents Kaga/Gubio/Magumeri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
Ouattara was re-elected on October 25, 2025, securing a fourth term as President of Côte d’Ivoire.
Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire maintain close cooperation within ECOWAS and the African Union, particularly in areas of security, trade, and regional development. Their bilateral relations are strengthened through a Bi-National Commission and multiple agreements covering sectors such as agriculture, anti-trafficking, and the digital economy, alongside strong informal trade ties and a sizable Nigerian community in Côte d’Ivoire.
Vice President Shettima is expected to return to Abuja after the inauguration ceremony.
