Brazil, which holds the bloc's presidency in 2025, said in a statement that the African country has been actively "strengthening cooperation in the Global South and reforming global governance", which has been a priority to Brazil.

"As the 6th largest population in the world and the 1st on the African continent, as well as one of the largest economies in Africa, Nigeria has converging interests with the other members of the group," Brazil Foreign Ministry, known as Itamaraty, said in the statement.

Nigeria joins the BRICS in a status already held by another eight nations primarily in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia.

Reporting by Isabel Teles; Editing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez
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