Nigeria became the ninth BRICS partner country

• Nigeria has become the ninth BRICS partner country along with Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan.

• Brazil, Russia, India and China founded BRICS in 2009 and South Africa joined in 2010.

• It was established as a counterbalance to the leading industrialised countries of the Group of Seven (G-7).

• Saudi Arabia has been invited to join BRICS, which was expanded to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates, in 2023.