KEY POINTS
- Vice President Kashim Shettima is representing President Bola Tinubu at the 18th BRICS Summit in India.
- Nigeria plans to pursue opportunities in trade, investment, agriculture, technology and artificial intelligence.
- India’s experience in using technology to engage its large youth population is also of interest to Nigeria.
- Nigeria became a BRICS partner country in January 2025.
MAIN STORY
Nigeria is seeking to expand trade, investment and economic cooperation with BRICS countries as Vice President Kashim Shettima joins leaders at the group’s 18th summit in India.
Shettima, representing President Bola Tinubu, arrived in India on Friday ahead of the summit scheduled for Sept. 12 and 13.
The Nigerian delegation includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani; and Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, among others.
The summit, themed “Building Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” will bring together leaders of BRICS member and partner countries for discussions on global growth, economic resilience, innovation and sustainable development.
Foreign Affairs Minister Ojukwu said Nigeria would use the meeting to identify new areas of cooperation in agriculture, technology, artificial intelligence, trade and the digital economy.
She said Nigeria was particularly interested in India’s experience in applying technology and artificial intelligence to create economic opportunities for its large youth population.
According to her, India’s strengths in agriculture and the digital economy also provide areas where Nigeria could develop stronger cooperation.
Industry, Trade and Investment Minister Oduwole said the Federal Government was seeking to strengthen Nigeria’s commercial relationship with India, which she said had previously reached about $14 billion in trade.
She said major Indian origin investors had expressed interest in meeting the Nigerian delegation during the summit, while Nigeria would also pursue stronger economic ties with other BRICS countries.
Oduwole said expanding these relationships would support the Federal Government’s economic agenda, particularly at a time when Nigeria was seeking to increase the value of its international trade partnerships.
She also identified crude oil as an area with room for renewed cooperation, noting that India had previously been a significant buyer of Nigerian crude.
Shettima is expected to participate in the BRICS open session and hold bilateral meetings with representatives of member and partner countries.
The engagements will focus particularly on trade, investment, agriculture, technology and industrial development, with the Nigerian delegation also taking part in other activities organised alongside the summit.
Nigeria became a BRICS partner country in January 2025. The partner country arrangement provides Nigeria with an avenue to engage the grouping while remaining outside its full membership.
BRICS comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
The grouping has become an important platform for cooperation among emerging economies and other countries of the Global South, including discussions around economic development and greater representation for developing countries in international institutions.
THE ISSUES
- Nigeria’s participation gives the country an opportunity to convert its BRICS partnership into practical trade and investment relationships rather than limiting engagement to diplomatic exchanges.
- The scale of Nigeria’s economic relationship with India makes trade expansion particularly significant, especially in areas such as crude oil and investment.
- Technology and artificial intelligence are emerging as important areas of interest for Nigeria because of their potential to create opportunities for its large youth population.
- Nigeria’s partner country status means it can engage with the BRICS platform without having the same status as the group’s 11 full members.
- The effectiveness of the engagement will depend on whether discussions at the summit produce specific investment, trade and industrial opportunities for Nigerian businesses and the wider economy.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“India is firm in its expertise in agriculture and, of course, even in the digital economy.” – Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu
“we are leveraging on India’s greatest strength, which is in the engagement of its youth population.” – Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu
“India used to buy Nigerian oil quite a lot, so we are looking at how to expand that with everything going on in the world.” – Jumoke Oduwole
WHAT’S NEXT
Shettima will participate in the BRICS summit and hold bilateral engagements focused on Nigeria’s economic and diplomatic interests.
The Nigerian delegation will also take part in the BRICS open session and other activities scheduled alongside the summit.
BOTTOM LINE
Nigeria is using its BRICS partnership to seek stronger trade, investment and technology relationships with India and other emerging economies. The immediate test will be whether the diplomatic engagement produces concrete opportunities for Nigerian businesses and investors.
