NEW DELHI: The Nigerian President has arrived in Delhi ahead of the G20 Summit as a guest of India. Nigeria, one of India’s largest trade partners in Africa, has welcomed India’s commitment to include the African Union in the G20.
“It’s a significant step forward for the African Union (AU) to join the G20. Having more diverse voices on the global stage will be beneficial. India is leading the effort to increase representation, and credit goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” stated Tolu Ogunlesi, advisor to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.
India has extended an invitation to Nigeria as a guest country for the G20 Summit. President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria is in India ahead of the summit, where he is expected to hold bilateral meetings with PM Modi, as well as with the leaders of Germany, South Korea and Brazil on the sidelines of the summit, which commences on September 9.
“This gesture of inviting Nigeria as a guest country for the G20 Summit demonstrates how much India values our relationship. Our two nations share similarities, having both been British colonies, and our societies and cultures are diverse,” added Tolu.
Accompanying the Nigerian President are four ministers, including the foreign minister, finance minister, industry and trade minister, and communications and digital economy minister. In addition to the official delegation, a substantial business delegation has also joined the President.
The objective is to strengthen trade partnerships between the two nations. India is the largest importer of crude oil from Nigeria, and more than 130 Indian corporations, including Airtel, Mahindra and Tata, have a presence in Nigeria. “Nigeria is eager to collaborate with India and expand our business ties,” emphasized Nigerian High Commissioner to India, Ahmed Sule.