President Bola Tinubu has called for a reevaluation of the current global governance structure and the financial and healthcare systems, urging greater equity and inclusion for low-income and emerging economies, particularly in Africa.
At the 17th meeting of the Global South and the Emerging Economies bloc, BRICS, on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the President stated that environmental degradation, the climate crisis, and healthcare inequalities should receive more attention, as they contribute to slowing growth and development.
President Tinubu, invited to the summit by Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, stated that Nigeria supports the BRICS position on the need to focus on collective, fair, and equitable global development.
Nigeria became the ninth partner country of BRICS in January 2025, joining Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan. The 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan in October 2024 created the partner-country category.
President Tinubu said, “Nigeria, therefore, associates with what I have heard today and all that has happened in BRICS. The next issues are financial restructuring and reevaluation of the global structure.”
He noted that environmental degradation, climate crisis, and global healthcare inequalities were shared concerns pertinent to Africa.
President Tinubu emphasised the need for a new path of justice, anchored in fairness, sustainable technology transfer, and accessible financing, so that emerging economies can fully benefit from various initiatives.
President Tinubu also said that addressing non-communicable diseases must remain a collective health concern.
Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance, accompanied the President to the summit.
In exercising its pro tempore presidency of BRICS, the Brazilian government announced Nigeria’s formal admission as a partner country on January 17, 2025.
As the world’s sixth-most populous country and one of Africa’s major economies, Nigeria shares convergent interests with other BRICS members.
Nigeria plays an active role in strengthening South-South cooperation and reforming global governance, which are top priorities during Brazil’s current presidency.
