India is betting on Africa’s rise…To invest $30bn in Nigeria
![](https://i0.wp.com/cdn.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/05223305/Nigeria-India.jpg?resize=367%2C235&ssl=1)
As he sought to take India-Nigeria ties to a “higher level,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India is “betting on Africa’s rise” and the rebalancing and the multi-polarity of the world will not be complete until the continent takes its due.
Addressing the Nigeria-India Business Council NIBC here, the minister said the rebalancing and reordering of a new global order will only happen “when the core of it is economic … which is the rise of Africa has to be the economic rise of Africa.”
Noting that there is about USD 13 to 15 billion worth of trade annually between India and Nigeria and New Delhi has committed nearly USD 30 billion in investment in the country, Jaishankar said Nigeria is India’s premier economic partner in Africa.
“But having said that,” he asserted, “I would also urge you not to be satisfied, to look at the potential…India’s exports in the year that has just been completed was USD 766 billion…and I’m sure, you would surely like, (that) a larger part of that share to come to Nigeria.”
Jaishankar had last month, co-chaired the Nigeria-India Joint Commission (NIJC) meeting, addressed two business forum meetings, addressed a Nigerian think tank. “Noted the expansion of our economic cooperation, especially trade and investment. Discussed new opportunities in energy, power, renewables, transport, healthcare, fintech, agriculture and security,” Jaishankar had said in a post on X after the Joint Commission meeting.
Leave a Reply