Nigeria’s New BRICS Status Won’t Solve Its Economic Crisis—but It Signals a Foreign Policy Shift

Nigeria’s decision to join BRICS as a partner signals its desire to be at the forefront of an emerging geopolitical order. However, it must carefully navigate complex internal challenges while weighing both the opportunities and risks of this new alliance.

Written by Otobong Inieke

May 11, 2025

Photo illustration by Dami Mojid / THE REPUBLIC. Source Ref: CHRISTOPHE VISEUX / UN CLIMATE CHANGE.

With the addition of Nigeria as a new partner country to BRICS, the multipolar group now comprises of 54.6 per cent of global population and about 42.2 per cent of global GDP, when measured at purchasing power parity (PPP). The main goal of the BRICS, as reaffirmed by its 2025 chair, Brazil, is to strengthen South-South cooperation and reform global governance. In this context, it is important to assess what Nigeria stands to gain as a new BRICS partner, and what the group may benefit from adding Africa’s most populous country to its ranks. This is crucial because Nigeria’s inclusion as a BRICS partner country signals a further shift in global relations and a move away from established hierarchies—where countries of the so-called global South have traditionally prioritized bilateral relations with Anglo-European countries.

NIGERIA’S BRICS PIVOT

Nigeria’s status as a partner county is significant, as it allows it participate in special BRICS summits, sessions and meetings. This enables Nigeria to contribute to official BRICS documents, thereby amplifying its voice on the global stage. Beyond its large population, the size and influence of Nigeria’s economy was another key factor behind its decision to join BRICS. As a leading energy producer in Africa and a new partner member of BRICS, Nigeria’s inclusion reflects the growing economic and political integration of global South countries, an effort that, according to BRICS leadership, is driven by the need to bolster cooperation and reform global governance.

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About the Author

Otobong Inieke

is an independent researcher based in southern Nigeria. His analysis has been published on platforms such as The Hood Communists, Horn Observers, and The Black Agenda Report.

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Nigeria’s New BRICS Status Won’t Solve Its Economic Crisis—but It Signals a Foreign Policy Shift

NIGERIA’S BRICS PIVOT