Shettima departs for India to represent Tinubu at BRICS Summit

Vice President Kashim Shettima is set to depart Nigeria for New Delhi, India, where he will represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit.

The summit, scheduled to hold this weekend at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, will bring together leaders of BRICS member and partner countries, alongside other invited dignitaries, to deliberate on global economic growth, multilateral cooperation and shared development priorities.

According to a statement issued on Friday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Nigeria will use the summit to pursue stronger economic and diplomatic partnerships with key international partners.

The Presidency said Nigeria’s participation would focus on expanding bilateral relations and economic cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, energy, agriculture, solid minerals, technology and innovation.

Shettima is expected to participate in plenary and high-level sessions alongside leaders of BRICS member and partner countries.

He will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders and senior government officials from participating countries, with discussions expected to explore opportunities for increased investment and deeper economic and diplomatic cooperation with Nigeria.

The engagement is also expected to strengthen Nigeria’s role in promoting cooperation among countries of the Global South.

India’s 2026 BRICS chairship is anchored on the theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” Discussions at the summit are expected to cover political and security cooperation, economic and financial partnerships, as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Nigeria became a BRICS partner country in January 2025, giving the country an additional platform to deepen South-South cooperation and engage some of the world’s largest emerging economies on trade, investment, development finance and reforms to global governance institutions.

The Presidency said Nigeria’s participation was in line with Tinubu’s efforts to strengthen the country’s international economic partnerships, attract foreign investment and open new markets for Nigerian products.

Particular attention is expected to be given to agriculture, energy, solid minerals and other non-oil sectors as the Federal Government continues to pursue economic diversification.

The summit also comes as BRICS marks two decades since its establishment and seeks to deepen practical cooperation among its expanding network of member and partner countries.

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