President Bola Tinubu has called for an overhaul of global governance structures and international financial institutions, saying the systems must become more representative, equitable and responsive to current economic and demographic realities.
Tinubu made the call on Sunday at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India, in an address delivered on his behalf by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The President said the transformation being championed by BRICS should extend to the international system, urging the bloc to move beyond dialogue and commitments to practical development outcomes.
He said Nigeria supported “a BRICS partnership that moves from dialogue to delivery, from commitments to implementation, and from cooperation to measurable development outcomes.”
Tinubu also invited foreign investors to explore opportunities in Nigeria, describing the country as “a gateway to Africa’s expanding market under the African Continental Free Trade Area.”
He said economic resilience for Nigeria meant building an economy capable of withstanding global shocks while creating sustainable opportunities for its citizens.
According to him, the objective is central to his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which includes reforms to strengthen macroeconomic stability, diversify production, raise productivity, expand infrastructure and human capital, attract investment, promote private-sector-led growth and deepen climate resilience.
Tinubu identified Nigeria’s young and dynamic population as one of the country’s greatest assets, noting that its creativity and enterprise were helping to drive the nation’s innovation agenda.
He listed digital skills, entrepreneurship, research, artificial intelligence and technology-enabled businesses among key areas requiring investment.
The President cited initiatives including 3MTT, Project BRIDGE and national artificial intelligence programmes as part of efforts to equip Nigerians for the digital economy.
On climate change, Tinubu said Nigeria’s sustainability model seeks to balance climate action with the development aspirations of emerging economies.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s support for affordable climate finance, technology transfer and capacity-building for Africa.
He also called for greater cooperation in renewable energy, gas, clean technologies, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable infrastructure and responsible development of critical minerals.
Tinubu said such cooperation should ensure that climate responsibility contributes to wider economic growth and development.
Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while opening the summit, said confidence in BRICS among countries of the Global South had increased because their voices were being heard, their experiences respected and solutions developed with them rather than for them.
Modi said the strength of BRICS lay in its diversity and cooperation, adding that the bloc was expanding participation beyond governments to entrepreneurs, farmers, researchers, women and young people.
He said initiatives such as BRICS CONNECT, the BRICS MSME Cooperation Portal and the BRICS Urban Mobility Hub were aimed at promoting skills, employment, enterprise development and knowledge-sharing among member and partner countries.
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