India and Nigeria are strengthening their strategic partnership across trade, investment, defence, energy, healthcare, agriculture and technology, with bilateral trade reaching about $9 billion in the 2025–26 financial year, Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria Abhishek Singh has said.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Singh said the figure marks a significant rise from the $7.13 billion recorded in 2024–25. He described the growing economic ties as evidence of the expanding relationship between Africa’s largest economy and one of the world’s major emerging powers.
Relations between the two countries have moved beyond historical goodwill and oil trade into a broader strategic partnership covering security, technology, food security, healthcare, agriculture and global governance, he said.
“India-Nigeria relations are no longer defined only by historical goodwill or oil trade,” Singh noted, adding that the partnership is becoming increasingly multidimensional.
More than 200 Indian companies operate in Nigeria, with investments in pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, power, construction, consumer goods, healthcare and services. Many have set up factories and production facilities rather than simply importing goods. These investments employ nearly 100,000 Nigerians, making Indian firms among the country’s largest private-sector employers, according to the High Commissioner.
Energy security remains a key pillar. Crude oil and liquefied natural gas continue to feature prominently, while cooperation has expanded to include Indian investments in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, pipeline security, compressed natural gas conversion and liquefied petroleum gas infrastructure.
Singh highlighted the energy demands of India’s population of about 1.4 billion and Nigeria’s more than 230 million people as a strong reason for closer collaboration.
Defence and maritime security form another important area of cooperation that dates back several decades. India helped establish Nigeria’s National Defence Academy in Kaduna and the Naval College in Port Harcourt. Shared challenges such as terrorism, violent extremism, piracy, organised crime and illicit trafficking have driven joint efforts in intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism, defence training and maritime security, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea.
A Nigerian naval delegation is scheduled to travel to India for bilateral discussions, Singh said, underscoring the depth of defence ties.
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