ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria has officially been recognized as a “partner country” within the BRICS association, as announced by Brazil, which currently chairs the group.

BRICS, originally established by Brazil, Russia, India, and China back in 2009, expanded to include South Africa in 2010. This coalition serves as a counterbalance to the Group of Seven (G7) countries, which consist of the leading industrialized nations.

In the previous year, BRICS welcomed new members such as Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates, while Saudi Arabia has received an invitation to become part of the group. Meanwhile, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia have formally requested membership, with several other nations showing interest as well.

With this addition, Nigeria becomes the ninth partner country in BRICS, joining ranks with Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.

Brazil’s government emphasized Nigeria’s importance, noting its status as the largest economy in Africa and its position as the sixth most populous country globally. The statement highlights Nigeria’s aligned interests with the other BRICS nations and its proactive role in promoting South-South cooperation and advocating for reforms in global governance—issues that are high on Brazil’s agenda during its presidency.

In the backdrop of this development, there were concerns raised last year regarding the U.S. response, as President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs of up to 100% on BRICS nations if they undermined the U.S. dollar. Leaders of the bloc have expressed their determination to create a payment system that is independent of the dollar, reflecting a significant shift in global economic dynamics.