By Dipo Olowookere
Vice-President of India, Shri M Hamid Ansari, accompanied by Smt. Salma Ansari, is in Nigeria at the invitation of his Nigeria’s counterpart, Prof Yemi Osinbajo,
India and Nigeria relations have traditionally been and friendly and the bilateral partnership was elevated to strategic partnership in 2007.
India is Nigeria’s largest global trading partner and Nigeria is India’s largest trading partner in Africa with the bilateral trade amounting to $12.6 billion in 2015-16.
India is also the largest buyer of crude oil from Nigeria (approximately 12% of the crude oil requirements are met through imports from Nigeria).
Indian companies have large presence in Nigeria and Nigeria hosts the largest Indian community in the West Africa. Both the countries also have strong defence cooperation.
Mr Osinbajo along with high powered delegation had participated in the 3rd India Africa Forum Summit held in New Delhi in October 2015.
The Indian Vice President’s visit intends to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries, expand and diversify bilateral economic engagement and explore new avenues of partnership on a wide range of issues of shared common interest.
During this visit, he would be meeting with Nigeria’s Senate President and House of Representatives Speaker, Mr Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara respectively and deliver an address at the National Defence College.
In the Lagos leg, which is on Wednesday, September 28, the Indian Vice President would meet the state Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and deliver address at the Joint Business Forum and the University of Lagos.
He would also inaugurate the High Commission of India Chancery complex in Abuja and interact with the members of the Indian community both in Abuja and Lagos.
He is accompanied to Nigeria by Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Minister of State for Finance and four members of Parliament, senior officials and media.
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