Shettima Heads To India To Represent Tinubu At 18th BRICS Summit

Vice President Kashim Shettima is set to travel to New Delhi, India, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit scheduled for this weekend.

According to Ireporter Online, Shettima’s participation is expected to provide Nigeria with an opportunity to strengthen economic and diplomatic relations with key international partners.

The development was disclosed in a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President.

The summit, which will take place at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, is expected to bring together leaders of BRICS member and partner countries alongside other invited dignitaries.

Discussions at the meeting are expected to focus on global economic growth, multilateral cooperation and shared development priorities.

According to the Presidency, Nigeria will use the summit to deepen bilateral relations and explore opportunities for increased cooperation in areas including trade, investment, energy, agriculture, solid minerals, technology and innovation.

The engagement is also expected to strengthen Nigeria’s participation in South-South cooperation and provide a platform for the country to engage with some of the world’s major emerging economies.

India’s 2026 BRICS chairmanship is anchored on the theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

Deliberations at the summit are 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 is expected to participate in plenary and high-level sessions alongside leaders of BRICS member and partner countries.

The Vice President will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders and senior officials from participating countries, with discussions expected to focus on expanding economic and diplomatic cooperation with Nigeria.

Nigeria became a BRICS partner country in January 2025, giving the country an additional platform to strengthen South-South cooperation and engage emerging economies on trade, investment, development financing and reforms to global governance institutions.

The Presidency said Nigeria’s participation in the summit aligns with Tinubu’s efforts to expand the country’s international economic partnerships, attract foreign investment and create new markets for Nigerian products.

Particular attention is expected to be given to opportunities in agriculture, energy, solid minerals and other non-oil sectors as the Federal Government pursues economic diversification.

The summit also comes as BRICS marks two decades since its establishment and continues efforts to deepen practical cooperation among its expanding membership and network of partner countries.