Vice-President Kashim Shettima has returned to Nigeria after representing President Bola Tinubu at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India.

Mr Shettima participated in the summit’s high-level sessions. He held bilateral engagements to advance Nigeria’s economic and diplomatic interests, according to a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, on Tuesday.

“Among the key engagements was a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where both sides discussed renewed crude oil trade, investment, pharmaceuticals, defence, digital technology, fintech, renewable energy and other strategic sectors,” the statement said.

Mr Shettima at the summit delivered Mr Tinubu’s message calling for reforms of global governance and financial institutions, while positioning Nigeria as a gateway to Africa’s expanding market under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

He added that Nigeria used the summit to deepen its engagement with BRICS member and partner countries in agriculture, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, manufacturing, healthcare, energy and human-capital development.

Nigeria became a BRICS partner country in 2025 and has since engaged the platform to strengthen South-South cooperation and broaden its relations with major emerging economies.