During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Nigeria, the two nations reaffirmed their commitment to a robust and diversified strategic partnership aimed at spurring economic development and enhancing cooperation in several key sectors, including defence, healthcare, energy, food security, and infrastructure.
In a joint statement issued after the talks in Abuja on Sunday, both President Bola Tinubu and Prime Minister Modi emphasized the growing ties between their countries and underscored the potential for a deeper collaboration to meet shared challenges and opportunities.
$14 Billion Investment Commitment
A key highlight of the visit was the reaffirmation of India’s pledge to invest $14 billion in Nigeria across critical sectors of the economy. This commitment follows previous agreements made during President Tinubu’s visit to India in September 2023 and was also reiterated at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi. The investments are expected to drive growth in industries such as energy, telecommunications, defence, and infrastructure.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the progress made in some of these investments and committed to facilitating the early finalization of pending deals. Both countries directed their respective officials to ensure that remaining agreements—such as the Economic Cooperation Agreement (ECA), Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA), and the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT)—are completed swiftly to boost trade and investment flows.
Defence and Security Cooperation
In a move to enhance bilateral security ties, Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s readiness to support Nigeria’s defence modernization efforts. This includes offering expertise in military technology, expanding defence manufacturing, and fostering collaboration in counterterrorism efforts.
Both leaders acknowledged the increasing threats in the Gulf of Guinea and the Indian Ocean, particularly the risks to maritime trade routes posed by piracy. To address this, they agreed on greater cooperation in maritime security, including joint anti-piracy operations and naval exercises aimed at safeguarding critical shipping lanes.
Furthermore, they jointly condemned terrorism in all its forms, emphasizing the need for zero tolerance toward terrorism and reinforcing efforts at the UN to finalize and adopt the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
Collaboration on Energy and Infrastructure
On energy collaboration, Nigeria and India outlined plans for long-term crude oil and LNG supply contracts and technical support for securing energy infrastructure such as pipeline transmission security, CNG conversion, and LPG bottling distribution.
India has also committed to supporting Nigeria’s infrastructure development goals, providing concessional lines of credit and technical expertise to enhance the country’s capacity in sectors like transportation, power generation, and water supply.
Food Security and Agriculture
Food security was highlighted as a priority area for both nations, particularly in light of their growing populations. The two countries discussed collaborative efforts in agriculture, focusing on providing high-yield seeds, agricultural machinery, and sharing technical expertise to boost productivity.
India’s role in food security was underscored by its earlier support in rice supply during times of scarcity in Nigeria. The two leaders agreed to further enhance this collaboration, including efforts to increase the production and trade of millets, which India promoted as the International Year of Millets at the UN in 2023.
Healthcare and Education
In the healthcare sector, both nations pledged to deepen cooperation through the establishment of hospitals and diagnostic centers and the adoption of digital health management systems. India offered to share its CoWIN digital platform, which has revolutionized health data management and vaccination campaigns in India, with Nigeria to improve the efficiency of its health systems.
Additionally, India committed to providing generic pharmaceuticals to Nigeria under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) initiative, which aims to make essential medicines more affordable to the population.
Both nations also committed to advancing educational ties, particularly through scholarship programs. The eVBAB scheme—an initiative providing virtual learning opportunities—was highlighted as a potential tool for strengthening human resource development in Nigeria, with more Nigerian students encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities.
Strengthening Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges
On the cultural front, both leaders acknowledged the vibrant cultural exchanges between the two countries, including participation in film festivals, literary exchanges, and other collaborative events. They agreed to expand these efforts to foster mutual understanding and celebrate shared heritage, recognizing the importance of tourism in enhancing people-to-people connections.
Regional and Global Cooperation
Nigeria and India also pledged to cooperate on broader regional security issues, particularly in West Africa, and to work together on issues relating to UN Security Council reforms. India commended Nigeria for supporting India’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2028-2029 term.
Both leaders also highlighted their joint membership in the International Solar Alliance (ISA), with plans to ramp up cooperation on solar energy by establishing solar parks and increasing the share of renewable energy in their respective energy portfolios.
In conclusion, the state visit by Prime Minister Modi to Nigeria marks a new chapter in the Nigeria-India relationship, one that emphasizes economic cooperation, security collaboration, and shared development goals. With a clear commitment to a $14 billion investment and broad cooperation across sectors such as energy, agriculture, defence, and healthcare, both nations are poised to strengthen their partnership in the coming years, with the promise of tangible outcomes for both their economies and societies.
The joint statement reflects a renewed determination to build a future of mutual prosperity, grounded in shared interests and the resolve to address pressing global challenges together.