Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation with the Republic of India ahead of the forthcoming BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the India-Africa Forum Summit scheduled to hold in New Delhi in May 2026.
The Permanent Secretary stated this during a meeting with the High Commissioner of India to Nigeria, His Excellency Abhishek Singh, at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja.
During the meeting, the Indian High Commissioner briefed the Permanent Secretary on preparations for the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting slated for 14–15 May 2026 at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, as well as the India-Africa Forum Summit expected to convene African leaders and senior officials later in the month.
The High Commissioner, in a statement by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that Nigeria, as a BRICS partner country and a major stakeholder in Africa, occupies a strategic place in India’s foreign policy engagement with the continent.
He disclosed that the Government of India was looking forward to Nigeria’s active participation at the meetings and expressed optimism regarding deeper cooperation between both countries in areas of trade, renewable energy, defence, industrialisation, agriculture, and technology.
He further highlighted ongoing initiatives under the International Solar Alliance and Africa Solar Facility, including proposed renewable energy investments and enhanced developmental partnerships with Nigeria.
The Permanent Secretary Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed in his response expressed appreciation for the cordial relations between Nigeria and India, describing both countries as strategic partners united by shared democratic values and common aspirations for sustainable development and South-South cooperation.
The Permanent Secretary underscored the importance of the forthcoming BRICS and India-Africa Forum engagements in advancing multilateral cooperation among developing countries amid evolving global political and economic realities.
He also reiterated Nigeria’s interest in increased Indian investments in key sectors of the economy, particularly manufacturing, agriculture, mining, renewable energy, and local value addition.
Ambassador Ahmed further stressed the need for strengthened collaboration in security and counter-terrorism, especially through technological cooperation and defence capacity building.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening Nigeria-India relations and enhancing cooperation within bilateral and multilateral frameworks for mutual benefit.
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