Nigeria Becomes BRICS Partner to Strengthen Global South Cooperation

Our reporter 

Nigeria has officially joined BRICS as a partner country, Brazil's Foreign Ministry announced on Friday. This development highlights Nigeria’s alignment with the bloc’s vision of fostering deeper collaboration among Global South nations and advocating for reforms in global institutions.

BRICS, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, created the partner category at its 16th Summit held in Kazan in October 2024. Nigeria now joins countries such as Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan in this new framework.

Nigeria, home to Africa’s largest population and one of the continent’s leading economies, shares BRICS’ focus on promoting South-South cooperation and global governance reforms. These themes are central to Brazil’s leadership, which assumed the BRICS presidency on 1 January 2025.

“With a population that ranks sixth globally and its vital role in Africa’s economic landscape, Nigeria has convergent interests with BRICS members,” the Brazilian Foreign Ministry stated. “Nigeria’s contributions to strengthening South-South collaboration and its active support for global governance reform align closely with Brazil’s priorities during its presidency.”

This partnership represents an opportunity for Nigeria to deepen its international influence while advancing the shared objectives of BRICS and the Global South.