- Nigeria’s status as a “partner country” signals its rising influence within the emerging market powerhouse, BRICS bloc.
- Tinubu’s trip follows a personal invitation from Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
President Bola Tinubu has landed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the 17th BRICS summit.
The presidential jet departed Saint Lucia on Friday and arrived at Rio International Airport at about 8:45pm local time.
The president was received by Brazil’s secretary for Africa and Middle East and the secretary for innovation and commerce.
The Nigerian leader is one of only four African presidents attending the summit.
The presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu’s invitation came from the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
He said, “Nigeria is attending the meeting as a ‘partner country’, which is a higher status than a guest nation.”
Onanuga explained that the designation is a sign of increasing recognition of Nigeria’s strategic weight in global economic discourse.
South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia are the only African countries with full BRICS membership.
The summit is expected to focus on strengthening cooperation among member nations, especially in the areas of trade and technology.
The meeting comes as global concerns grow over potential tariff threats from former United States president, Donald Trump.
Discussion about this post