Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the multilateral trading system, stressing that no country can prosper in isolation from the global community.

Vice President Kashim Shettima gave the assurance during a meeting with the Director-General of the WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on the sidelines of the ongoing BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India.

Shettima said Nigeria would continue to support the WTO in strengthening multilateralism and promoting a global system built on cooperation rather than isolation.

“I believe the world is greater than one nation. We will continue to support the WTO in championing the cause of multilateralism. We are essentially one human family and interconnected. You cannot divorce yourself from the global community,” he said.

The Vice President also made a case for migration as an important driver of development, innovation and economic growth, noting that immigrants have historically contributed to the development of nations and cities around the world.

“Nations are built by immigrants. Even cities are built by people who came from outside, not just by the locals. That goes to show that we have so much to gain from global migration,” he explained.

Citing the Nigerian diaspora as an example, Shettima said Nigerians living abroad had continued to distinguish themselves through education, enterprise and professional achievement.

He cited a recent Pew Research Center analysis of 2024 US Census Bureau data, which showed that 67 per cent of Nigerian-born Black immigrants aged 25 and above in the United States held at least a bachelor’s degree, the highest proportion among the major Black immigrant groups examined.

The Vice President also commended Okonjo-Iweala for her leadership of the WTO and urged her to continue deploying her experience in the service of global development.

“You are doing a very wonderful job at the WTO, but you still have a lot to contribute to humanity,” he told the WTO Director-General.

Meanwhile, Shettima is expected to present Nigeria’s partnership and foreign investment opportunities to leaders of the BRICS alliance when he addresses the summit on Sunday.

The summit is themed, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

In seeking a more inclusive international order, the Vice President is also expected to reiterate the objective of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to create sustainable opportunities for Nigerians through reforms, infrastructure expansion and the promotion of private-sector-led growth.

The BRICS Summit is taking place in New Delhi, India, from September 12–13, 2026. The countries are discussing peace, trade, energy, and global cooperation, especially because of conflicts and tensions around the world.

BRICS members agreed to call for peace and restraint in the Middle East and to protect global trade and supply chains. They also want international organisations such as the IMF and World Bank to give developing countries a stronger voice.

Nigeria is participating as a BRICS partner country. Shettima is representing Nigeria and is looking for opportunities to attract investment, especially in agriculture, technology, and other non-oil sectors. (Channels TV)

•L-R: Director General World Trade Organisation Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Vice President Kashim Shettima and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Jumoke Oduwole.