Vice President Kashim Shettima is set to depart for New Delhi, India, where he will represent President Bola Tinubu at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit as Nigeria seeks to deepen economic partnerships and strengthen its strategic engagement with emerging global powers.
The summit, scheduled to take place this weekend at Bharat Mandapam, comes as leaders of BRICS member and partner countries gather to deliberate on issues ranging from global economic growth and security to multilateral cooperation and sustainable development.
Nigeria’s participation is expected to provide the country with an opportunity to advance bilateral relations and pursue greater cooperation in key sectors, including trade and investment, energy, agriculture, solid minerals, technology and innovation.
India, which holds the 2026 BRICS chairmanship, is hosting the summit under the theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
According to a statement issued on Friday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, Shettima will participate in plenary and high-level sessions alongside leaders of BRICS member and partner nations.
The statement said the sessions would examine “global economic growth, multilateral cooperation, and shared development priorities.”
Shettima is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders and senior officials of participating countries.
The discussions, according to the statement, will focus on “opportunities for deeper economic and diplomatic cooperation with Nigeria.”
Nigeria became a BRICS partner country in January 2025, creating an additional platform for the country to engage major emerging economies and strengthen South-South cooperation.
Through its participation, Nigeria is seeking to expand its engagement on trade, investment, development finance and the reform of global governance institutions.
The Federal Government is also expected to leverage the summit to promote investment opportunities in Nigeria and seek wider international markets for Nigerian products, particularly in agriculture, energy, solid minerals and other non-oil sectors.
The statement said the country’s participation was consistent with President Tinubu’s efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s international economic partnerships, attract investment and expand markets for locally produced goods.
BRICS, which is marking 20 years since its establishment, has increasingly sought to deepen practical cooperation among its expanding membership and network of partner countries.
The New Delhi summit will therefore provide Nigeria with an avenue to engage a broader group of emerging economies on issues affecting trade, investment, development and global economic governance.
Shettima is expected to return to Nigeria shortly after the summit.
Shettima’s engagement in India also comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s efforts to protect the interests of its citizens abroad, particularly amid concerns over the treatment of Nigerians in South Africa.
On August 31, 2026, the Vice President warned that Nigeria would no longer tolerate the dehumanisation or mistreatment of its citizens in South Africa, condemning xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks targeting Nigerians and other African nationals.
Shettima spoke in Luanda, Angola, shortly before his departure for Nigeria after representing President Tinubu at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
While stressing that Nigeria remained committed to resolving the concerns through dialogue and diplomatic engagement, the Vice President said the government would not remain silent when the safety and dignity of Nigerians were threatened.
“Those whose palm kernels were cracked by benevolent spirits should learn to be humble. We were part of the struggle for the liberation of our brothers and sisters in Southern Africa, and we feel personally pained that our people have been picked up for humiliation,” Shettima said.
He added that Nigeria would no longer accept situations in which its citizens were subjected to degrading treatment.
“The government and people of Nigeria will no longer countenance a situation whereby our people are dehumanised and put into very, very unacceptable situations,” he said.
Shettima, however, said the Federal Government would continue engaging its South African counterparts through robust diplomatic discussions aimed at addressing the concerns without taking steps that could worsen relations between the two countries.