India and Nigeria are deepening multidimensional strategic partnership, expanding cooperation across agriculture, industry, energy, technology, and health, as Indian businesses consolidate its role as the second-largest employer of labour in Nigeria after the Federal Government.
Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abhishek Singh, disclosed this at a media briefing organised to meet formally with the Diplomatic Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria (DICAN) in Abuja.
He said bilateral trade between both nations surged to approximately $9 billion in the 2025/2026 financial year, up from $7.13 billion recorded in 2024/2025.
The High Commissioner highlighted that over 200 Indian companies are currently operating in Nigeria across key growth sectors, including power, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, construction, consumer goods, healthcare, and services.
The envoy also spoke on a joint effort between India and Nigeria to combat the influx of fake and adulterated drugs into the country.
He said the collaborative enforcement operations are being spearheaded by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Elaborating on the economic relationship, Deputy High Commissioner Vertika Rawat stated that India supplies roughly 40 percent of Nigeria’s overall pharmaceutical imports, with that figure exceeding 90 percent in specific drug categories.
Rawat emphasized that bilateral ties are shifting from pure importation to local capacity building.
Highlighting potential areas for policy alignment, Rawat shared insights from India’s National Family Health Survey-6, a survey covering 679,000 families across 790 districts.
She however, concluded that the historical ties between both nations, rooted in their shared anti-colonial struggles which has evolved into a modern strategic partnership focused on health financing, technology transfer, and industrial development.
