Brazil, which is holding the rotating presidency of BRICS, announced that Nigeria has achieved the status of a partner country of the BRICS group.
"Today, January 17, 2025, the Brazilian government announced that Nigeria officially became a partner country of the group," the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
According to Brazil, BRICS and Nigeria share common interests because the African country, like the BRICS group, is working to strengthen cooperation among countries of the Global South and calling for reforms of international organizations.
Brazil takes over the BRICS presidency from Russia on January 1, 2025. At the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, last October, the parties decided to establish a list of BRICS partner countries.
The first countries to become BRICS partners were Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan.
Indonesia was also initially considered a BRICS partner, but on January 6, 2025, Brazil announced that Indonesia had been granted full membership in the group.
The BRICS group was founded in 2006 with the first five countries being Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa joined the group in 2011.
On January 1, 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) officially became BRICS members.
