Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Nigeria at around 1.30 pm on Saturday. He is visiting Nigeria for the first time at the invitation of President Ahmed Tinubu.
This will be the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Nigeria in 17 years. Before Modi, the then PM Dr. Manmohan Singh went to Nigeria in 2007.
PM Modi will meet President Tinubu on Sunday. There will be a discussion between them on further strengthening India-Nigeria bilateral relations. After this, Modi will also address the people of the Indian community in the capital, Abuja.
There are over 150 Indian companies in Nigeria, with a turnover of Rs. More than 2 lakh crores.
Location of Nigeria on the map…
Distance from India to Nigeria is 7607 km.
Why is Nigeria important to India? Nigeria is one of the important countries in Africa due to its huge reserves of oil and gas. This country meets India's energy needs. Indian investment in Africa continues to grow, particularly in sectors such as energy, mining, pharmaceuticals and information technology.
Nigeria is an important member of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) and the Oil Producing Countries (OPEC). Both these institutions are important for India's diplomacy and economic policy.
India-Nigeria relations are 66 years old After independence, India strongly supported the independence of African countries. Diplomatic relations between the two countries began even before Nigeria's independence. India established a diplomatic mission in Nigeria in 1958. Nigeria got independence 2 years later.
India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited Nigeria in September 1962. After his visit, the foundation of bilateral relations was laid between the two countries.
India is the largest democratic country in the world while Nigeria is the largest democratic country in Africa. Nigeria's population (23 crore) is less than that of Uttar Pradesh (24 crore), but the country is among the fastest growing countries. The United Nations estimates that Nigeria's population will reach 400 million by 2050. India will then be the third most populous country in the world after China.
According to the BBC, Nigeria is divided into two. Poverty is high in the Muslim-majority north. Southern and Eastern Nigeria has a large Christian population. This area is more prosperous. Many northern states have adopted Islamic Sharia law despite opposition from Christians. This has led to quarrels between the two communities.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
