Sat Jan 18 11:29:56 UTC 2025: ## Nigeria Joins BRICS Partner Countries
**Abuja, Nigeria – January 18, 2025** – Nigeria has been officially accepted as a partner country of the BRICS bloc, according to a statement released by Brazil, the current chair of the group. This marks Nigeria as the ninth partner nation, joining Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.
BRICS, an alliance of developing economies, was initially formed in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2010. The group has been expanding rapidly, adding Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE in 2023, with Saudi Arabia also set to join. Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia have formally applied for membership, and other nations have expressed interest.
Brazil highlighted Nigeria’s significant population (the world’s sixth largest and Africa’s largest), its considerable economic influence in Africa, and its shared interests with other BRICS members as key reasons for its inclusion. Nigeria’s active role in South-South cooperation and global governance reform aligns with Brazil’s current presidential priorities.
The expansion of BRICS comes amid efforts by the bloc to diversify global financial systems and reduce reliance on the US dollar. This follows past threats by former US President-elect Donald Trump to impose significant tariffs on BRICS nations if they undermined the dollar.
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