PM Narendra Modi Nigeria Visit From Today: What's On Cards?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will commence his Nigeria visit on November 16th and end on November 17th after a gap of 17 years. The visit is part of the PM's tri-nation visit to Brazil, Nigeria, and Guyana. Modi will visit Guyana from November 19 through 21. After visiting the two nations, he will head to Brazil for the two-day G20 Summit. 

Why Nigeria?

Secretary of Economic Relations, Dammu Ravi, while addressing a press briefing about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Nigeria on November 16-17, said that the visit is happening after a gap of 17 years. PM Modi is visiting Nigeria at the invitation of Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. "Prime Minister will be making a state visit to Nigeria from November 16-17. It will be at the invitation of the President of Nigeria,  Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This visit is happening after a gap of 17 years. The first visit of the Prime Minister to the West African region. The last visit, took place in October 2007 by Manmohan Singh, and that was the time when both sides established strategic partnership," he said as reported by ANI.  "During the delegation talks, there will be an exchange of memorandum of understanding, about five of them. Some of them are still work in progress, but broadly covering areas of culture, geological survey, the digital public infrastructure, customs, traditional medicine, audiovisual cooperation, etc. Prime Minister will interact with the Indian diaspora at the community event later that afternoon before he will move on to Rio that evening," he said. 

Ravi also told ANI that Indian companies have invested a cumulative of about USD 27 billion in Nigeria. "200 Indian companies involved in a variety of sectors, and Indian companies are the second largest employment provider in that country," he said. He also said that India has sent USD 400 million for developmental assistance to the African country.The cooperation between both the countries in terms of education is also extensive, as India offers 500 scholarships to Nigeria every year, ANI reported.
 

Crude Oil History 

India also has strong ties of crude oil import with Nigeria. The latter continues to dominate as Africa’s largest producer of Crude Oil, boasting proven reserves of 37.50 billion barrels and a production capacity of approximately 2.19 million barrels per day, as per the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission. The trip's highlight is a push to strengthen partnerships for crude oil and diversify the energy sources. 
India and Nigeria have a strong diplomatic history.  India established its Diplomatic House in Lagos in November 1958, two years before Nigeria became independent on 01 October 1960. The country is one of the largest crude oil buyers from Nigeria. Presently, over 135 companies are either owned or operated by Indians or people of Indian origin in Nigeria, as per the Ministry of Economic Affairs. 

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