Nigeria’s Vice President is leading a high-level delegation to New Delhi for a summit focused on resilience, innovation, and economic cooperation—and the stakes for Africa’s largest economy are high.

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Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in New Delhi, India, to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, as Nigeria seeks to deepen its trade relationships, attract fresh investment, and tap into India’s expertise in technology and artificial intelligence.

Nigeria became a BRICS partner country in January 2025 and has since engaged the platform to strengthen South-South cooperation and broaden its relations with major emerging economies.

Who’s on the Delegation?

Shettima is leading a high-powered Nigerian delegation that includes:

• Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu
• Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole
• Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani
• Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal

What Nigeria Wants from BRICS

The Federal Government’s objectives for the summit are clear: deepen bilateral relations, expand trade and investment opportunities, and strengthen economic cooperation with countries within the bloc.

The $14 Billion Trade Relationship

Nigeria is looking to expand its trade relationship with India, which has previously stood at about $14 billion. Trade Minister Oduwole disclosed that major investors of Indian origin have indicated interest in meeting the Nigerian delegation—signalling a push to convert Nigeria’s BRICS partnership into concrete investment opportunities.

Oil and Beyond

One key area of focus is energy trade. Oduwole noted that India used to buy Nigerian oil “quite a lot,” and Nigeria is looking to rebuild and expand that relationship. But the delegation’s ambitions go beyond oil—targeting agriculture, technology, artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and industrial development.

Learning from India’s Youth Engagement

Foreign Affairs Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu highlighted India’s experience in deploying technology to engage its youthful population as particularly relevant to Nigeria. “India is firm in its expertise in agriculture and, of course, even in the digital economy,” she said. “We are leveraging on India’s greatest strength, which is in the engagement of its youth population.”

What Happens at the Summit?

The summit is being held under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

The key schedule includes:

• A closed-door session on “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism” for core members
• A tour of the Bharat Innovates Exhibition
• A joint tree-planting ceremony
• A gala dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will also hold several bilateral meetings

Shettima will participate in high-level discussions on inclusive global growth, resilience, innovation, and sustainable development, as well as hold bilateral engagements focused on trade, investment, agriculture, technology, and industrial development.

The Bigger Picture

The 18th BRICS Summit is being hosted by India on September 12-13 under its 2026 Chairship. BRICS currently comprises 11 member countries—Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UAE—accounting for around 49.5% of the global population, 40% of global GDP, and 26% of global trade.

Nigeria holds BRICS Partner Country status alongside Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

For Nigeria, the summit represents another avenue for advancing President Tinubu’s economic agenda and securing new partnerships beyond traditional markets.