Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to represent Nigeria at the 2nd United Nations Food Systems Summit, taking place from July 27 to 29, 2025. His visit underscores Nigeria’s strategic push for sustainable agricultural development and food security reforms.
Shettima’s aircraft landed at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport at approximately 4:26 p.m. local time. He was warmly received by Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Temesgen Tiruneh, and top officials from the Nigerian Embassy in Ethiopia, including Chargé d’Affaires Amb. Nasir Aminu and other diplomatic envoys.
Shortly after arrival, the Vice President met with the Nigerian delegation, where he was briefed on the nation’s key agenda at the summit. He is expected to join global leaders in high-level discussions aimed at accelerating efforts to build resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems, with a focus on transforming Africa’s agricultural value chains.
A significant highlight of the visit is Nigeria’s diplomatic gesture of donating 2,000 cashew seedlings and 100,000 cashew seeds to Ethiopia. This donation, which will cover an estimated 600 hectares of farmland, was received by Ethiopia’s Minister of State for Agriculture, Dr. Efa Muleta Boru. The exchange follows Ethiopia’s earlier gift of 2,000 Haas avocado seedlings and 2,000 coffee seedlings to Nigeria in June 2025, symbolizing growing agricultural collaboration between the two nations.
The UN Food Systems Summit 2025 will provide a platform to assess global progress since the inaugural summit in 2021, fostering new partnerships and policy commitments. Vice President Shettima will participate in multiple side events, including ministerial roundtables on public finance, trade, and responsible investment, field visits, and networking sessions designed to promote knowledge-sharing and cross-border agricultural initiatives.
At a recent briefing, Shettima emphasized Nigeria’s objectives at the summit: to establish itself as a leader in African food systems reform, forge strategic international alliances, and promote a private sector-led approach to continental food transformation.
The delegation’s activities align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Green Revolution Diplomacy, aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural sector while using agro-diplomacy to build stronger ties across Africa.
