Defence minister Rajnath Singh is on a visit to Nigeria between May 28-30, 2023 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Rajnath Singh will attend the swearing-in ceremony at Eagle Square in Abuja on 29th May. He will also meet the outgoing Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari during a reception hosted by him on 28th May.
This will be the first-ever visit of an Indian Defence Minister to Nigeria which is Africa's most populous country.
Rajnath’s visit will be an important landmark in building the strong bonds of friendship between India and the West African nation.
Considering the growing defence cooperation between India & Nigeria, senior officers of Ministry of Defence and top leadership of important Defence PSUs are accompanying Rajnath Singh. They will hold meetings with the representatives from the Nigerian industry and the Armed Forces to identify the equipment and platforms, through which the Indian defence industry can support the country’s requirements.
India had hosted the first edition of the India-Africa Army Chiefs’ Conclave in March. The conclave, held on the sidelines of the 2nd Africa-India Joint Exercise ‘AFINDEX’ in Pune, was attended by army chief General Manoj Pande and the chiefs and representatives of 31 African nations.
Nigeria is home to an estimated 50,000 members of the Indian community. Rajnath Singh will address the Indian diaspora at Abuja during the visit.
Key Takeaways
- Defence minister Rajnath Singh is on a visit to Nigeria to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect of the West African nation Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
- Bola Ahmed Tinubu replaces outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari
- Nigeria is Africa's most populous country.
- Nigeria is home to an estimated 50,000 members of the Indian community
