VICE President Kashim Shettima is heading to New Delhi, India, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, where Nigeria will seek to deepen economic and diplomatic relations with key international partners.
The summit, scheduled for this weekend at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, will bring together leaders of BRICS member and partner countries, as well as other invited dignitaries, to discuss global economic growth, multilateral cooperation and shared development priorities.
News Point Nigeria reports that Nigeria plans to use the high-level gathering to advance its strategic economic and diplomatic interests.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, announced Shettima’s participation in a statement on Friday.
According to the Presidency, Nigeria intends to leverage the summit to consolidate bilateral relations, expand economic cooperation and advance its strategic interests, particularly in trade and investment, energy, agriculture, solid minerals, technology and innovation.
The engagement is also expected to provide Nigeria with another platform to promote greater cooperation among countries of the Global South.
India’s 2026 BRICS Chairship is anchored on the theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” with deliberations expected to cover political and security cooperation, economic and financial partnerships, as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
While in New Delhi, Shettima will participate in plenary and high-level sessions alongside leaders of BRICS member and partner nations.
The Vice President will also hold bilateral engagements with leaders and senior officials of participating countries, with discussions expected to focus on opportunities for deeper economic and diplomatic cooperation with Nigeria.
Nigeria has been a BRICS partner country since January 2025, a status that provides the country with another channel to deepen South-South cooperation and engage some of the world’s largest emerging economies on trade, investment, development finance and reform of global governance institutions.
The Presidency said Nigeria’s participation in the summit was consistent with President Tinubu’s drive to strengthen the country’s international economic partnerships, attract investment and open additional markets for Nigerian products.
Particular attention is expected to be placed on opportunities in agriculture, energy, solid minerals and other non-oil sectors as the administration pursues its economic diversification agenda.
The summit comes as BRICS marks 20 years since its establishment and seeks to strengthen practical cooperation among its expanding network of member and partner countries.
Shettima is expected to return to Nigeria shortly after participating in the summit.