Nigeria is making strategic foreign policy moves to join the BRICS economic bloc within the next two years and become a member of the G20, according to reports from Bloomberg.
The decision is driven by Nigeria’s intention to assert its influence in powerful global political and economic organizations. Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that Nigeria, having reached maturity, is poised to independently decide its affiliations with multilateral organizations.
Minister Tuggar stated: “Nigeria has come of age to decide for itself who her partners should be and where they should be; being multiple aligned is in our best interest.”
He highlighted that Nigeria’s economy size and population meet the criteria for joining groups like BRICS and G20. Tuggar expressed the rationale:
“We need to belong to groups like BRICS, like the G-20 and all these other ones because if there’s a certain criterion, say the largest countries in terms of population and economy should belong, then why isn’t Nigeria part of it?”
Regarding the political situation in Niger, Tuggar expressed optimism that the country is in a transient phase and will eventually return to a stable path. He affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to not giving up on Niger.
Nigeria’s recent engagements with these groups include Vice President Sen. Kashim Shettima attending the BRICS summit in South Africa, although Nigeria did not actively pursue membership at that time. President Bola Tinubu, in September, attended the G20 summit as a visitor and expressed the intention to advocate for Nigeria’s permanent membership.
About the BRICS Group:
BRICS consists of emerging market powers, including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. In August, these nations extended invitations to six additional countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Argentina, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates, to join their ranks and strengthen the bloc’s influence.
