Just a few hours after Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua died in his official residence Wednesday night, Nigeria's Acting President Goodluck Jonathan summoned an emergency cabinet meeting at the Presidential Villa.

The meeting mainly discussed plans for Yar'Adua's funeral, among others, said Yayale Ahmed, secretary of the Government of the Federation.

According to the official, Yar'Adua's burial ceremony will be held at 2 p.m (1300 GMT) on Thursday to allow dignitaries and foreign Heads of Government to attend the ceremony in his home state Katsina.

Local observers believed that the death of Yar'Adua would not affect Nigeria's political and economic situation as the general situation in the West African country has been stable under the leadership of Jonathan who has been acting president since February this year.

Early Thursday, Jonathan declared a seven-day national mourning in memory of the late President Umaru Yar'Adua. During the seven days, the Nigerian national flag will fly at half mast.

"As a mark of respect for our departed leader, the Acting President has cancelled all official engagements," the acting president's spokesman Ima Niboro said in a statement.

Yar'Adua died at around 9 p.m. (2000 GMT) on Wednesday in his official residence in the Nigerian capital Abuja where he was recuperating from his protracted illness.

Acting President Jonathan described the death of the late President Yar'Adua as "sad, unfortunate and regrettable," said the statement.