President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for 17th BRICS summit.
Gatekeepers News reports that his aircraft, which departed from Saint Lucia earlier on Friday, landed at Rio International Airport around 8:45 p.m. local time.
The president who is one of only four African heads of state attending the summit, was received on arrival by Carlos Sergio Sobral Duarte, Brazil’s Secretary for Africa and the Middle East.
According to presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s participation follows an invitation from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
He explained that Nigeria is attending the summit as a partner country, a designation that ranks higher than that of a guest nation.
Onanuga further stated that the status reflects Nigeria’s growing strategic importance within the BRICS bloc, which is increasingly engaging with emerging economies across Africa and beyond.
South Africa, Egypt, and Ethiopia are currently the only African countries with full BRICS membership.
The summit, which brings together leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa as well as select partner nations focused on strengthening collaboration in trade, technology, infrastructure, and global governance.
This year’s meeting is taking place against the backdrop of renewed global economic tensions, including growing concerns over potential tariff hikes proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Leaders are expected to use the forum to advocate for more equitable global trade policies and explore alternatives to Western-dominated financial systems.
