By Joy Omagha Idam
In a bid to boost the relationship with India, the Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to further strengthening the longstanding cordial relations between Nigeria and the Republic of India during the presentation of Letters of Credence by His Excellency Saidu Dahiru Muhammad, High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to India, to Her Excellency Smt. Droupadi Murmu, President of the Republic of India, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, on Monday, 24 August 2026.
During the ceremony, the High Commissioner conveyed the warm and fraternal greetings of His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to President Murmu, as well as the Government and people of India.
He thanked President Murmu for his warm reception, and conveyed the appreciation of the Government and people of Nigeria for the excellent relations existing between Nigeria and India. He reaffirmed the importance Nigeria attaches to its relations with India and described his appointment as both a privilege and a responsibility to advance Nigeria’s national interests in India.
The envoy emphasised that the Nigeria-India relations extended beyond political and diplomatic engagement to encompass substantial economic, commercial, cultural, educational and people-to-people ties. He identified the promotion of trade, investment and economic cooperation as major priorities of his tenure and expressed his determination to encourage greater Indian investment in Nigeria and facilitate stronger business-to-business engagement.
Furthermore, he expressed Nigeria’s interest in enhanced cooperation with India in healthcare and pharmaceuticals, agriculture, energy, manufacturing, information and communications technology, digital transformation, education and scholarships, infrastructure as well as skills development. He also highlighted the need to strengthen collaboration in defence, security and cultural exchanges.
Ambassador Muhammad assured President Murmu of his commitment to working closely with the Government of India, the Indian business community, Nigerian stakeholders and other relevant partners, to translate the longstanding friendship between Nigeria and India into tangible and mutually beneficial outcomes. He also emphasised the importance of advancing a citizen-centred approach to diplomacy, while promoting opportunities that directly benefit the peoples of both countries.
In her remarks, President Murmu warmly welcomed the High Commissioner and congratulated him on his appointment as High Commissioner to the Republic of India. She spoke positively of the longstanding friendship between Nigeria and India, noting that relations between the two countries are founded on strong historical ties, mutual respect and shared interests.
President Murmu particularly underscored the importance of the economic relations between Nigeria and India, affirming India’s position as a major business and trading partner of Nigeria with potential for expanded bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation. She also acknowledged the contributions of Indian businesses and investors to Nigeria’s economic development and encouraged stronger private-sector engagement between the two countries.
The ceremony demonstrated the depth and cordiality of Nigeria-India relations, while highlighting the prospects for expanded political and economic partnerships. In addition, it reflected the importance attached by the Governments of Nigeria and India to their longstanding relations and underscored the importance of renewed efforts for the strengthening of bilateral cooperation.
This was contained in a statement signed by Oluwafemi Adeniyi, Spokesperson,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja.