BRICS: Nigeria Joins Group as “Partner”
Bolivia and Indonesia also joined the international group in January 2025
The government of Brazil, which assumed the annual rotating presidency of the BRICS group on January 1 last year, announced on Saturday, January 18, the formal accession of Nigeria as a “partner country” of the influential international grouping.
According to a press release from the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Nigeria has become the ninth BRICS partner country along with Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.” As the Brazilian press recalls, the “BRICS partner countries” category was created during the Russian presidency and formalized at the group’s 16th annual summit held in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024.
“Nigeria has the sixth largest population in the world, is the largest in Africa, and is among the continent’s largest economies. It shares strategic interests with other members of the group. We are actively engaged in strengthening cooperation in the global South, building a multipolar world and reforming international governance, which are the priority issues of the Brazilian presidency,” the Brazilian Foreign Ministry spokesperson emphasized.
On January 1, 2025, Bolivia joined BRICS as a partner country, and on January 7, Brazil announced Indonesia’s official entry into the group as a full member of the international organization. “Indonesia will officially participate in BRICS activities during Brazilian presidency, which will last until December 31, 2025,” said a statement released by the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, according to which “Indonesia expressed its intention to join BRICS during the group’s the 15th summit held in South Africa from August 22 to 24, 2023. Indonesia’s membership was unanimously endorsed by the BRICS countries.”
