Vice-President Kashim Shettima was initially scheduled to represent Tinubu at the summit, which would take place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.

In a statement, Stanley Nkwocha, senior special assistant to the president on media and communications, claimed Shettima, who has since returned to Nigeria, was unable to make the journey due to a technical problem with his aircraft.

“Vice President Kashim Shettima who was originally scheduled to represent the President was unable to make the trip following a technical fault with his aircraft, forcing him to make a detour on the advice of the Presidential Air Fleet,” the statement reads in part.

Nkwocha stated that Shettima “will carry on with other national duties.”

“The high-profile summit, held in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, will bring together political and corporate leaders from Africa, the United States, and other regions. “It includes high-level dialogues, networking sessions, and plenaries,” the release stated.

Other African leaders scheduled to the conference include Liberian President Joseph Boakai, Malawi’s Lazarus Chakwera, Angola’s Joao Lourenço, Botswana’s Mokgweetsi E. K. Masisi, Cabo Verde’s José Maria Neves, and Lesotho’s deputy prime minister, Nthomeng Majara.