The leadership of BRICS has welcomed a new set of participants from 9 countries as partners in an expansion plan announced in late 2024.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brazil, which currently heads BRICS, announced that Nigeria and seven other countries are now approved with effect from January 2025.

BRICS had invited 13 countries – Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam to participate as “partner countries”, on 24 October 2024.

Nigeria Joins BRICS

Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria joined BRICS officially on 17 January 2025, as a partner following in the steps of Ethiopia, South Africa and Egypt as its African allies.

The BRICS partner category was introduced in October 2024 at the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. The category grants partners access to BRICS summits and meetings. Nigeria and other partner countries will also enjoy benefits from BRICS initiatives and activities.

However, the BRICS partnership does not ensure full membership instead it places countries on a lower tier than those with member status.

All Full Members of BRICS as of January 2025

At its initiation, BRICS membership included Brazil, Russia, India, and China, which formed the acronym BRIC. The name was modified to become BRICS after the induction of South Africa as full member in 2010.

The next set of BRICS members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates joined in January 2024. Though the bloc grew by 4 new countries, the acronym did not.

The BRICS bloc of developing nations, in 2025 named Indonesia as its 10th full member.

Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia

What is the BRICS?

BRICS was formed in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India and China as an intergovernmental organisation that directly opposes American economic dominance. More so, the BRICS formation is an opposition of the European Union and Group of Seven (G7) developed economies.

The widening range of membership and influence in Africa is a BRICS evolution strategy. This idea has reverberated for years with claims that an alignment would be beneficial in nation-building initiatives.

The idea found devotees. However, the potential of BRICS to command true power and be a stronghold of assistance for developing economies could be hindered by its structure with China leading its financial efforts.

More so, its countermeasures to inhibit Western dominance on the world stage would be more effective if its members (India and China) would stand in one accord to eliminate all weaknesses.

The uncertainty of a unified front continues to fuel the G7.

Brazil is the official leader of BRICS in a one-year term that began on January 1st 2025. The country also holds the BRICS summit for 2025 in the city of Rio de Janeiro in July.

All BRICS Partners as of January 2025

The 9 countries then have aaccepted the invite for the BRICS partnership status are;

These countries have been granted the right to participate in the activities of BRICS for its sustainabliltiy and core maintance. Howerver, Nigeria, like the rest of the partners would have no voting rights in BRICS. The are observer states that are entitled to support from BRICS members.