Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on Sunday thanked Nigeria for “protecting and peacefully hosting about 80,000 Indians living in Nigeria” during a bilateral meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi.
The appreciation set the tone for talks focused on reviving and expanding Nigeria-India economic relations. Both leaders committed to drastically improving trade across major sectors including oil, renewable energy, defence, power, capacity building, technology, health, and clean energy.
Modi made a direct case for renewed crude oil purchases from Nigeria. He said trade between both countries had dropped annually to about $9 billion, down from about $14 billion years back, and that increased oil imports would help boost the numbers.
Vice President Shettima welcomed the goodwill gesture toward the Nigerian Indian community and promised to look into the crude request. He stressed that Nigeria is prioritizing partnerships that deliver jobs and skills, particularly in pharmaceuticals, defence, creative, and digital technology sectors.
“President Tinubu is keen on developing these industries to benefit millions of Nigerian youth through foreign investments and strategic partnerships,” Shettima said.
Officials from both sides said technical teams will follow up to advance agreements in energy, health, and technology cooperation in the coming weeks.
The meeting highlights Nigeria’s role as a key African partner for India, both in energy security and in hosting one of India’s largest diaspora communities on the continent.
