Vice President Kashim Shettima will represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit scheduled to take place in New Delhi, India, from September 12 to 13, 2026.
Shettima’s participation is expected to provide Nigeria with an opportunity to strengthen its economic and diplomatic ties with BRICS member and partner countries while seeking greater trade and investment opportunities.
The Vice President is expected to focus on areas of strategic importance to Nigeria, including energy, agriculture, solid minerals, technology and innovation.
Why Shettima’s India Trip Matters
The 2026 BRICS Leaders’ Summit, themed “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” will bring together leaders and representatives of member and partner countries for discussions on major global and economic issues.
Key issues expected to feature at the summit include global economic growth, security, development financing and multilateral cooperation.
The meeting will also provide an avenue for participating countries to explore stronger political, cultural and people-to-people relations while discussing shared development priorities across the Global South and beyond.
Nigeria’s BRICS Partnership
Nigeria became a BRICS partner country in January 2025, giving the country a new platform to expand its engagement with emerging economies and strengthen South-South cooperation.
At the New Delhi summit, Nigeria is expected to use its participation to promote investment opportunities, particularly in agriculture, energy, solid minerals and other non-oil sectors of the economy.
The government is also expected to push for stronger economic partnerships that could support Nigeria’s development objectives and help attract capital and technology into key sectors.
Shettima Expected to Hold Bilateral Meetings
Apart from participating in the main summit discussions, Shettima is expected to hold bilateral meetings with some participating leaders and senior government officials.
The meetings are expected to focus on expanding economic cooperation, strengthening diplomatic relations and exploring new areas of partnership between Nigeria and other countries.
The Vice President will return to Nigeria after the conclusion of the summit and scheduled engagements in India.