The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maitama Yusuf Tuggar, has officially announced that Nigeria has been recognized as a partner by the BRICS economic bloc. This announcement signifies a major milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards expanding its global partnerships and fostering economic collaboration with some of the world’s leading emerging economies.
Ambassador Tuggar emphasized that this recognition as a partner country is a testament to Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to promoting international collaboration, economic progress, and mutual development with other nations.
It was reported that Nigeria was among the 13 nations that sought to join BRICS during the bloc’s most recent meeting, which took place in October in Brazil. This meeting highlighted the growing interest from developing nations to align with the BRICS framework to harness the economic and geopolitical advantages it offers.
In a statement released on Saturday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, it was noted that Nigeria intends to utilize its partnership with BRICS to pursue common goals in areas such as trade, investment, and sustainable development. This strategic partnership has the potential to bolster Nigeria’s economic opportunities while promoting broader international cooperation.
The statement read: “The Federal Government of Nigeria has formally accepted the invitation to join BRICS as a partner country. This acceptance reflects Nigeria’s commitment to fostering international collaboration, leveraging economic opportunities, and advancing strategic partnerships that align with Nigeria’s overarching development objectives. BRICS, as a collective group of major emerging economies, presents an invaluable platform for Nigeria to enhance trade relations, promote investment, and strengthen socio-economic cooperation with member countries.
“Through this partnership, Nigeria is uniquely positioned to leverage the opportunities provided by BRICS to advance shared goals in vital sectors such as trade and investment, energy security, infrastructure development, technological innovation, and addressing climate change. This collaboration aligns seamlessly with Nigeria’s national aspirations for achieving inclusive growth, fostering regional integration, and ensuring active participation in shaping a fair and equitable global economic order, while maintaining our ethos of strategic autonomy.
“Furthermore, Nigeria looks forward to engaging constructively with BRICS member nations to drive innovative solutions, enhance people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen cooperation in ways that are consistent with our national interests and strategic priorities. The partnership underscores Nigeria’s readiness to contribute to and benefit from the collective vision of BRICS.”