Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Nigeria on Saturday, marking the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the country in 17 years.

This visit comes at the invitation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

During his trip, Prime Minister Modi will engage in talks aimed at enhancing the strategic partnership between India and Nigeria and identifying new opportunities for deepening bilateral cooperation.

He is also expected to address the Indian community in Nigeria.

Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Shri G. Balasubramanian, emphasized the long-standing strategic ties between the two nations, which have strengthened since 2007, with growing collaboration in energy, defense, and economic sectors.

He added that over 200 Indian companies have invested more than $27 billion in critical sectors within Nigeria.

India and Nigeria share a strong development cooperation relationship, and Prime Minister Modi has prioritized Africa, with Nigeria being a central focus of India’s engagement in West Africa. This will be his first visit to the region, starting with Nigeria.

In a recent briefing, Periasamy Kumaran, the Special Secretary of Economic Relations and Development Partners Administration at India’s Ministry of External Affairs, discussed India’s commitment to the Global South, representing 85% of the world’s population.

He highlighted that India’s trade volume with Africa is valued at $100 billion, with cumulative investments exceeding $75 billion.

Kumaran also described India’s development partnerships as people-centered, tailored to specific needs, and expressed the country’s readiness to share its expertise across various developmental sectors.

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