Kashim Shettima

Early career

Shettima held a position as an Agricultural Economist at the Commercial Bank of Africa's Ikeja Office in Lagos State from 1993 to 1997. Subsequently, he transitioned to a managerial role, ascending to the position of Deputy Manager and later Manager at the African International Bank Limited's Kaduna Branch from 1997 to 2001. In 2001, he was appointed Deputy Manager and Branch Head of the Zenith Bank's Maiduguri Office. Five years later, he assumed the role of North-East General Manager. In mid-2007, Shettima was appointed Commissioner of the Borno State Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. Subsequently, he served as Commissioner in the Ministries of Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Education, Agriculture, and later Health under his predecessor as Borno Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff.

Governor of Borno (2011–2019)

In the January 2011 ANPP primaries, Engineer Modu Fannami Gubio was selected as candidate for the governorship. However, Gubio was later shot dead by gunmen, and Shettima was selected in a second primary in February 2011. In the 26 April 2011 elections, Shettima won with 531,147 votes while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Muhammed Goni, gained 450,140 votes.

Kashim Shettima's tenure as Governor of Borno State (2011–2019) was marred by the Boko Haram insurgency, transforming his administration into a continuous exercise in crisis management. Inheriting a state already fractured by the 2009 uprising, Shettima's leadership was characterized by a "rebuild-as-they-destroy" philosophy. Shettima focused heavily on the Safe Schools Initiative and the construction of over 40 "mega schools" to house and educate the more than 50,000 children orphaned by the conflict.

During his initial term, the insurgency experienced a significant escalation, particularly with the Chibok schoolgirls kidnaping. This event garnered global attention to his state administration and the Nigerian federal government. Shettima emerged as a vocal and often contentious critic of the federal government's military strategy. Kabiru Sokoto, the alleged mastermind of the Christmas 2011 church bombing, who was twice arrested and escaped, was reportedly found sheltering at the official compound of the Borno state governor in Abuja. This raised questions over high-level government complicity with Boko Haram, including Sokoto's multiple controversial escapes from high security custody, and the Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima, apparently harbouring the suspected Boko Haram member at his official Abuja lodge. Notably, in 2014, he asserted that Boko Haram was "stronger than the Nigerian military", a statement that engendered a substantial rift with the Jonathan administration. However, some later regarded this as a necessary, albeit blunt, assessment of the security challenges facing the country. Despite the devastation caused by the insurgency, including the destruction of over 900 schools and the displacement of millions of people, Shettima leveraged his expertise in agricultural economics to advocate for the establishment of an Industrial Park in Maiduguri and the implementation of agricultural reforms. His objective was to provide economic alternatives to the radicalization of the youth.

Kashim Shettima's tenure was marked by a significant financial and physical endeavor to address the $5.9 billion in infrastructure damage inflicted upon Borno State by Boko Haram. Shettima's administration transcended mere repair to transform the state's educational landscape, particularly addressing the crisis of over 50,000 insurgency orphans, resulting in the construction of over forty "Mega Schools" designed to provide free education and nutrition to children who would otherwise be susceptible to radicalization. These initiatives were bolstered by the Safe Schools Initiative, a $20 million public-private partnership launched in response to the Chibok abduction to secure high-risk learning environments. Concurrently with these educational reforms, Shettima's government addressed the destruction of nearly one million private homes by initiating large-scale housing projects in devastated towns such as Bama and Gwoza.

To ensure the continuity of his recovery efforts, Kashim Shettima institutionalized his reconstruction efforts through a robust legal and administrative framework. He pioneered the creation of the Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement (RRR), a dedicated body with a legal mandate to centralize the rebuilding of destroyed towns and manage the multi-billion dollar recovery budget. To protect his legacy in education, he signed the law establishing the Borno State University and implemented strict budgetary policies that ring-fenced funds for the maintenance of the Mega Schools, ensuring the state's 50,000 orphans would remain supported by future administrations. Furthermore, he facilitated the Borno State Agency for the Coordination of Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Response, a legislative tool that mandates all international NGOs to align their activities with the state's long-term strategic plan.

Nigerian Senate (2019–2023)

Shettima joined the 9th Nigerian Senate as the Senator for Borno Central after he won the 2019 Nigerian senatorial elections to emerge as the federal senator for Borno Central Senatorial District, thereby replacing Senator Babakaka Bashir. During his time in the Senate, he sponsored critical legislation like the Criminal Code Act (Amendment) Bill and the Geospatial Information Regulation Bill, both aimed at modernizing Nigeria's legal and technological defenses against evolving security threats. Shettima argued that military force must be complemented by aggressive socio-economic development to effectively dismantle Boko Haram. Beyond his legislative responsibilities, Shettima emerged as a critical political mediator and "kingmaker," successfully overseeing a stable transition in Borno to his successor, Babagana Zulum, and later becoming a pivotal architect of the APC's Renewed Hope campaign. Shettima became a pivotal figure in the 2023 presidential race, he was one of the earliest and most vocal proponents of Bola Ahmed Tinubu's candidacy, famously arguing during the primary season that Tinubu possessed the "intellectual dexterity" and "pedigree" required to govern a complex nation. Following his victory in the primary election for the Senate in 2022, he withdrew from the nomination to become Tinubu's running mate, with Kaka-Shehu Lawan succeeding him at the Senate. Shettima's unwavering loyalty and strategic maneuvers within the Northern political bloc were instrumental in securing the APC ticket for Tinubu, leading to his own eventual selection as the Vice Presidential candidate and his resignation from the Senate in 2023 to assume the Nigeria's second-highest office.

Vice Presidency (2023–present)

On 1 March 2023, Bola Tinubu was declared as the winner of the 2023 Nigerian presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Thus, Shettima became the Vice President-elect of Nigeria.

Shettima assumed office after taking the oath of office on 29 May 2023 at the Eagle Square, Abuja. As the vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he is expected to oversee the economic planning team and report as well as make recommendations to the president who takes the final decision.

At the inaugural North West Peace & Security Summit held in Katsina on 24 June 2024, Shettima addressed the regional establishment, condemning an alleged plan by the Sokoto state government to depose the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa'adu Abubakar IV, who is a third-generation direct descendant of Qadiri mujaddid Uthman dan-Fodio. The Sokoto government later denied it was planning to effect the removal of the sultan.

On 24 September 2024, Shettima delivered a speech at the general debate of the seventy-ninth session of the United Nations General Assembly, deputising for Bola Tinubu. He endorsed the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Honours

• Nigeria:
  • Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) (25 May 2023)