President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for sweeping reforms of global governance, financial systems, and healthcare structures to ensure greater equity, justice, and inclusion for developing and emerging economies, particularly in Africa.
Delivering Nigeria’s address at the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, July 6, 2025, President Tinubu stressed the urgent need for the world to confront the disproportionate burdens borne by low-income countries on critical issues such as climate change, healthcare inequality, and economic marginalisation.
“Nigeria, therefore, associates with what I have heard today and all that has happened in BRICS. The next issues are financial restructuring and reevaluation of the global structure,” Tinubu said, as he aligned Nigeria with the bloc’s vision for collective advancement.
The 2025 summit marks Nigeria’s debut appearance as an official BRICS partner country following its admission in January alongside Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan. The partner-country category was introduced at the previous BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.
‘Africa Suffers the Most Despite Contributing the Least’
In a strongly worded statement, President Tinubu drew global attention to the climate injustice faced by African nations.
“Africa has contributed the least to global emissions but suffers the most,” he said, urging for a new paradigm of justice through sustainable technology transfer, accessible climate financing, and strategic international collaboration.
He cited the African Carbon Market Initiative and the Great Green Wall project as continental responses already underway and expressed hope that COP-30 would serve as a catalyst for stronger global action.
Health, Climate, and Finance: A Global Call
President Tinubu also highlighted Nigeria’s domestic actions on renewable energy, climate adaptation, and the country’s 2050 long-term vision. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s nationally determined contributions to climate goals and its commitment to achieving universal health coverage.
On global health governance, he stressed the need to address the rising threat of non-communicable diseases and called for a shift in BRICS’ identity from an economic bloc to a coalition committed to innovation, solidarity, and people-focused development.
“As we approach COP-30 and look to strengthen the global health system, we believe the BRICS must not only be a bloc for emerging economies but also a beacon for emerging solutions… rooted in solidarity, self-reliance, sustainability, and shared prosperity of a common future,” he said.
Nigeria Backs South-South Unity
The President reaffirmed Nigeria’s strong belief in South-South cooperation, emphasizing that developing nations must be proactive participants in shaping global decisions on debt forgiveness, financial restructuring, climate action, and healthcare equity.
“Nigeria strongly believes in South-South cooperation. We can, therefore, not be passive participants in global decision-making on financial restructuring, debt forgiveness, climate change, environmental issues, and healthcare,” he declared.
President Tinubu was accompanied by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, and Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun.
Brazil, which holds the current rotating presidency of BRICS, officially announced Nigeria’s inclusion as a partner country on January 17, 2025. As Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation, Nigeria is expected to play a leading role in shaping South-South relations and pressing for equitable global reforms—two central pillars of Brazil’s agenda during its presidency.
