Nigeria has officially joined BRICS to become the ninth partner country with Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.
Experts have raised concerns about what it means to be a partner country and questioned if that is the best for Nigeria’s standing globally.
BRICS is an intergovernmental organisation, and originally an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, and China, had expanded in 2010 to include South Africa.
It subsequently accepted other countries like Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates into its fold.
The partner-country category was established at the 16th BRICS Summit held in Kazan in October 2024.
During the BRICS summit held in Kazan, Russia, from October 22 to 24, 2024, it officially expanded its alliance, adding 13 new nations as partner countries, though not as full members.
The countries are Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
Nigeria’s inclusion places it among eight other nations with similar partner status in regions such as Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Asia.
However, one of the experts noted that given the fact that Nigeria’s other African colleagues -Ethiopia, South Africa and Egypt are already members, accepting the offer may work against Nigeria’s interest.
“Will this move of accepting to be a partner country when other African countries are already full members not work against our quest for the United Nations permanent seat? Is it good for Nigeria’s national image?” the expert queried.
BRICS aims to foster trade, investment, development, security, and cooperation among leading emerging market economies, and it is considered to be a counterpart and alternative to the G7 bloc of the world’s largest economies.
Nigeria’s acceptance to join the group was confirmed in a statement issued yesterday by the acting spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa.
