Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in New Delhi, India, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, with Nigeria seeking to deepen economic, trade and investment partnerships with India and other member and partner countries of the bloc.

The summit, held under the theme, “Building Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” provides Nigeria with an opportunity to advance its economic and diplomatic interests while exploring new areas of South-South cooperation.

Shettima is leading a high-level Nigerian delegation comprising the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani; and Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, among others.

Ahead of the summit, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria would pursue partnerships in agriculture, technology, artificial intelligence, trade and the digital economy, while seeking to leverage India’s experience in using technology to create opportunities for its large youth population.

“India is firm in its expertise in agriculture and, of course, even in the digital economy,” the minister said, adding that Nigeria was particularly interested in India’s experience in youth engagement and the deployment of artificial intelligence.

Oduwole said the Federal Government was also working to expand Nigeria’s trade relationship with India, which she said had previously reached about $14 billion.

According to her, major investors of Indian origin have expressed interest in engaging the Nigerian delegation, while the government is seeking to strengthen existing economic ties with India and other BRICS countries.

She said Nigeria was also exploring opportunities to increase India’s purchases of Nigerian crude oil, noting that India had historically been an important market for the country’s petroleum exports.

At the summit, Shettima is expected to join leaders of BRICS member and partner countries, as well as representatives of invited international organisations, for high-level discussions on global growth, resilience, innovation and sustainable development.

The Vice President will also hold bilateral engagements focused on trade, investment, agriculture, technology, industrial development and other areas of mutual interest.

Nigeria became a BRICS partner country in January 2025 and has since used the platform to pursue stronger South-South cooperation and broaden economic and diplomatic relations with major emerging economies.

The Nigerian delegation is also expected to participate in the BRICS open session and other engagements scheduled on the sidelines of the summit.