How BRICS+ is Turning Partnerships in Africa and Asia into Real Projects — and What It Means for Business?

Agreements in Nigeria have become a catalyst: transitioning to the implementation of Russian AI diagnostics and localization of pharmaceutical products, alongside deepening agricultural cooperation. Against this backdrop, there's a surge in cyber threats and an amplification of "soft power" through sports and public expeditions. For companies, this represents an opportunity in localization, technology transfer, and cybersecurity.

What Specifically Has Been Agreed Upon by Nigeria and Russian Partners in Healthcare and Pharma?

Pilot implementation of the "Third Opinion" AI diagnostics in Nigerian healthcare, training of the first three specialists at Russian sites, and work on localizing medicines and vaccines have been agreed upon, as reported by "Kommersant Kazan".

The same report clarified that Nigeria aims to increase the share of local pharmaceutical production to 70% by 2030 and to build two vaccine production plants — this sets a clear benchmark for technological transfer and joint production.

How is Agricultural Cooperation with Nigeria Changing, and What Role Does BRICS Partner Status Play?

Nigeria is building agricultural partnerships with a focus on technology, from heavy machinery to drones, and counts on accelerated exchanges thanks to its BRICS partner status, as reported by "Rossiyskaya Gazeta".

"Nigeria sees Russia as its best partner. We consider Russia a friend to the whole world — that's how we perceive it."

This demand creates a clear "entry point" for the export of agricultural machinery, seed material, and training services: the demonstrative effect of major industry exhibitions translates into applied projects at the state and sectoral program levels.

Where is BRICS+ "Soft Power" Manifesting, and How Does it Support Economic Ties?

In sporting events and public expeditions that build trust and create channels for educational and service partnerships. In Kazan, student teams played the first cricket match as part of the "Russia-India" business forum, where the Russian team (with players from India) won 124:117, as reported by "Tatar-inform".

Concurrently, the Russian-Brazilian round-the-world expedition "Bratstvo-2025" arrived off the coast of Mexico with the stated mission of popularizing BRICS ideas and international brotherhood, as reported by "Rossiyskaya Gazeta".

For businesses, these formats provide a trust infrastructure and opportunities for local meetings, expanding the funnel of partnerships in education, healthcare, and sports.

What Cyber Risks Accompanied the Expansion of Cooperation, and How Are BRICS Countries Responding?

The sharp increase in cyberattacks on critical IT infrastructure and the financial sector requires protection that is "built-in" to international projects, the exchange of best practices, and coordination with regulators. According to interdepartmental bodies and industry players, as cited by CNews, the number of attacks in the Russian Federation in the first half of 2025 exceeded 63,000 (+27% compared to 2024). Russia has stated its readiness to share its experience with partners in BRICS, the SCO, and the CSTO, as reported by CNews.

Practical takeaway: cross-border medical AI services, pharmaceutical localization, and agricultural technology supplies must be accompanied by agreed-upon information security requirements, incident sharing models, and monitoring of software/equipment supply chains.

What Does This Mean for BRICS+ Companies in the Next 6–12 Months?

• Nigeria's Healthcare: Prepare for AI diagnostics pilots and training programs; "package" offers with clinical validation and localization plans.
• Pharma Localization: Align products and technologies with the target threshold for local production by 2030 and potential participation in vaccine projects.
• Agro Partnership: Focus on a "turnkey" approach — machinery + service + training for operators and agronomists; product demonstrations at industry exhibitions work as sales converters.
• Compliance and Data: Proactively address legal frameworks for medical data exchange and the operation of drones/sensors in agriculture.
• Cybersecurity: Integrate information security into the terms of reference for supplies and service agreements (SOC, monitoring, threat intelligence, protection of data exchange channels and edge devices).
• Team and Connections: Utilize sports and public events as platforms for networking and launching educational programs that support deals and after-sales service.