Nigeria want to join South Africa in G20 —Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has called for Nigeria to join the G20, along with South Africa and the African Union, to increase Africa’s global influence.

Tinubu made this known on Tuesday while speaking at the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Cape Town.

“Nigeria would like to join South Africa and the African Union in the G20 so as to strengthen the African voice in the group and globally,” Tinubu said.

Two days ago, on the 1st of December 2024, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa assumed the presidency of the G20 group of countries.

South Africa is the first African country to lead the G20, which was set up to bolster economic cooperation among leading developed and emerging economies and includes 19 sovereign nations along with the European Union and the African Union.

Tinubu, however, urged the South African government to leverage its position to promote the continent’s economic and political interests.

“As South Africa assumes the presidency of the G20, we urge that the position be leveraged for the development of our continent.

“This high-level strategic partnership between South Africa must become a model of leadership and shared vision that will inspire and take our people into a brighter and greater future of prosperity and development, an Africa That We Want.”

The G20 is a forum of the largest economies in the world that meets regularly to discuss the most pressing issues facing the global economy.

Together, the G20 accounts for around 85% of world GDP, a percentage that has grown in the past 20 years, more than 75% of global trade and around two-thirds of the population of the planet.

It consists of 19 countries and two regional bodies. The current members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, plus the African Union and European Union.