Shettima to Champion Nigeria’s Trade, Investment Agenda at BRICS Summit

By Taibat Ummi Yakubu

Vice-President Kashim Shettima will represent President Bola Tinubu at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India, as Nigeria seeks to deepen its economic and diplomatic engagement with some of the world’s emerging powers.

Shettima is expected to join heads of government from BRICS member and partner countries, alongside other invited dignitaries, at the high-level gathering scheduled for this weekend.

The summit will provide Nigeria with an opportunity to push its interests on a range of issues, particularly trade, investment, energy, agriculture, technology and innovation, as discussions centre on global economic growth and stronger multilateral cooperation.

According to a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice-President’s spokesperson, Shettima will participate in plenary sessions and other high-level engagements during the summit.

Beyond the formal sessions, the Vice-President is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders and senior government officials from participating countries.

Those engagements are likely to focus on expanding economic partnerships and exploring new opportunities for cooperation between Nigeria and other members and partners of the BRICS bloc.

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For Nigeria, the meeting comes at a significant time as the country seeks to position itself more firmly within emerging global economic and diplomatic networks.

The government believes its participation can open additional channels for trade and investment while strengthening cooperation with countries of the Global South.

Nigeria became a BRICS partner country in January 2025, joining a grouping that brings together some of the world's major emerging economies.

Since then, the partnership has offered Abuja another platform to pursue economic opportunities beyond its traditional international relationships.

Shettima’s participation in the New Delhi summit is therefore expected to go beyond representation, with the administration likely to use the gathering to advance Nigeria’s economic interests and attract stronger partnerships across key sectors.

The summit will also bring together countries with growing influence in global trade, energy and investment, giving Nigeria an opportunity to engage directly with decision-makers on areas critical to its development ambitions.

Nkwocha said the Vice-President’s participation would help strengthen Nigeria’s relationships with BRICS members and partner countries while promoting greater cooperation among nations of the Global South.

As the summit opens in New Delhi, attention will be on how Nigeria uses its relatively new BRICS partnership to translate diplomatic engagement into tangible economic opportunities at home.