Former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, has criticized Nigeria’s designation as a partner country by BRICS, stating that the nation deserves full membership in the multinational bloc.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, January 20, the political science professor described the status granted to Nigeria as a slight on the country, given its economic standing in Africa.
“I am not happy. Can you tell me the difference between a partner country and a member given our GDP in Africa compared to Ethiopia or even South Africa? Is it a partner country that befits us? No,” Akinyemi said.
He argued that Nigeria should have been an original member of BRICS or included as a full member during the group’s expansion.
“We should have been part of the original members of BRICS. I have said this on several platforms. I don’t know why we were never an original member; I don’t know why we were not invited to join as a full member as they were expanding it. I think it is a slap in our face, and we should never have accepted this partner member if that is what they call it,” he added.
On Friday, January 17, Brazil announced Nigeria’s formal admission as a partner country of BRICS, an intergovernmental organization comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and newly added members Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the UAE.
In a statement, Brazil’s Foreign Ministry highlighted Nigeria’s shared interests with BRICS, including a commitment to South-South cooperation and the reform of international organizations.
“With the world’s sixth-largest population—and Africa’s largest—as well as being one of the continent’s major economies, Nigeria shares convergent interests with other members of BRICS. It plays an active role in strengthening South-South cooperation and in reforming global governance—issues that are top priorities during Brazil’s current presidency,” the statement read.
Brazil, which assumed the BRICS presidency for 2025 on January 1, emphasized Nigeria’s significant role in the Global South.
Nigeria now joins Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan as a partner country of BRICS, a status established during the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024.
