Brazil has officially confirmed Nigeria’s admission as a partner country in the BRICS alliance.
The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the announcement in a statement issued on Friday.
With this new development, Nigeria becomes the ninth partner country of BRICS, joining Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.
The statement from Brazil reads: “The Brazilian government welcomes Nigeria’s decision to join the BRICS partnership. As the world’s sixth-largest population and Africa’s largest, Nigeria is a key player in the continent’s economy and shares common interests with other BRICS members.”
The statement also highlights Nigeria’s active role in strengthening South-South cooperation and advocating for global governance reforms—issues that align with Brazil’s priorities during its current BRICS presidency. The BRICS group, originally composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has seen expansion as more countries have expressed interest in joining the alliance of leading emerging economies. The partner-country category was introduced at the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan in October 2024, where reports indicated that Nigeria’s inclusion was confirmed.
Eche Abu-Obe, former spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had previously indicated that Nigeria’s entry into the group was imminent.