Nigeria reiterates plans to join the BRICS group

IN February, Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, disclosed to the media that Nigeria was looking to send in its application to join the elusive club.

Recently he restated that the country had not abandoned its objective to be a part of the BRICS group in the next two years, an idea he has been touting since 2023. Nigeria is also looking to enhance its relationship with Russia.

In an interview with the Russian news publication, Sputnik Africa, Tuggar noted that Nigeria is planning to apply to join the BRICS group of nations once the required internal processes are completed.

“We intend to do it. Like I said before, Nigeria runs a deliberative democratic system. So there tends to be a lot of engagement with different interest groups, different internal bodies before such an action is taken,” Tuggar said.

He mentioned the 2023 BRICS summit in South Africa, which the vice president of the country, Kashim Shettima’ attended was of utmost significance. He also noted that the country’s intention to join the BRICS nation would not be influenced by the West.

“You have to understand one thing, Nigeria is not the sort of country that succumbs to pressure. We have been single-minded since our inception. Since we became independent in 1960, we joined the non-aligned movement. We do what we feel is right for us as a country, we are not dictated to by anyone,” Tuggar said.

Russia and Nigeria are looking to partner on nuclear energy projects. Both sides are executing direct measures, and training individuals, according to the minister, who also disclosed that the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission and partners in Russia’s Rosatom are working to expedite the process.

Nigeria is also looking to bolster its relationship with Russia in areas outside of energy including medicine, agriculture, and industrial applications of nuclear technology.