Brazil has officially declared Nigeria as a new partner country in the BRICS alliance, according to a statement released on Friday by the Brazilian Foreign Ministry.
With this development, Nigeria becomes the ninth partner country in BRICS, joining Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan.
The ministry’s statement read: “The Brazilian government welcomes the Nigerian government’s decision. With the world’s sixth-largest population – and Africa’s largest – as well as being one of the continent’s major economies, Nigeria shares convergent interests with other members of BRICS.
“It plays an active role in strengthening South-South cooperation and in reforming global governance – issues that are top priorities during Brazil’s current presidency”.
BRICS, originally consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has been expanding, as more countries seek to align with the bloc of major emerging economies.
The partner-country category was established during the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan in October 2024. At that event, reports emerged confirming Nigeria’s inclusion.
