Tinubu sends Shettima to Côte d’Ivoire as Ouattara begins new term

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Sunday departed Abuja for Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where he will stand in for President Bola Tinubu at the inauguration of President Alassane Ouattara, who is beginning his fourth term in office.

Shettima will join heads of state and senior representatives from across Africa and beyond for the swearing-in ceremony, which is scheduled for Monday, 8 December 2025, at the Presidential Palace in Abidjan.

President Ouattara secured a fourth mandate in the country’s 25 October 2025 election. Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire maintain long-standing and friendly diplomatic relations, strengthened through cooperation within ECOWAS and the African Union. The two countries also work closely under a Bi-National Commission framework, with agreements covering security, agriculture, anti-trafficking, trade, and digital innovation. Informal cross-border commerce and a large Nigerian community in Côte d’Ivoire further reinforce the ties between both nations.

Accompanying the Vice President on the trip are Dr Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission; Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs; and Hon Usman Zannah, representing Kaga/Gubio/Magumeri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

Shettima is expected to return to Abuja after the inauguration events.