President Bola Tinubu has used the 2026 BRICS Summit in New Delhi to make a bold case for a more representative and equitable global system, calling for reforms that would give greater weight to today’s economic and demographic realities.

Represented at the summit by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu urged BRICS nations to move beyond declarations and translate cooperation into tangible, measurable results.

The President also positioned Nigeria as a strategic gateway to Africa’s expanding market under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), highlighting investment opportunities across trade, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, healthcare, manufacturing, digital technology, artificial intelligence and critical minerals.

He stressed the importance of technology transfer, local value addition and job creation, arguing that deeper economic partnerships must deliver concrete benefits for Nigerians and Africans.

As his administration pursues economic resilience under the Renewed Hope Agenda, Tinubu maintained that Africa can no longer remain on the margins of global development. Instead, he said the continent must take its place at the centre of global growth, innovation and investment.

Nigeria’s growing engagement with BRICS could therefore mark an important step in its efforts to expand trade, attract investment and strengthen its influence in a rapidly changing global economy.