India-Nigeria Trade Hits $9 Billion as New Delhi Seeks Deeper Energy, Health, and Defence Partnership

Bilateral trade between Nigeria and India surged to approximately $9 billion in the 2025–2026 financial year, up from $7.13 billion the previous year, the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abhishek Singh, announced at a media briefing in Abuja.

The High Commissioner stressed that the relationship has evolved well beyond historical goodwill and oil into a multidimensional strategic partnership.

“India-Nigeria relations are no longer defined only by historical goodwill or oil trade,” Singh stated, emphasising a broadening scope that now includes security, technology, food security, healthcare, agriculture, and global governance.

He noted that over 200 Indian companies are actively operating in Nigeria across pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, power, and construction, employing nearly 100,000 Nigerians and making them the second-largest private employer after the federal government.

Energy security remains a critical pillar, with India’s High Commissioner noting a push beyond crude oil and LNG into investments in pipeline security, compressed natural gas conversion, and LPG infrastructure.

“This is all the more reason that the two great democracies, India and Nigeria, should cooperate more in the field of energy security,” Singh remarked.

On the defence front, Singh recalled India’s historical support in establishing Nigeria’s National Defence Academy and Naval College, while confirming ongoing cooperation in intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism, and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

A Nigerian naval delegation is scheduled to travel to India for further bilateral discussions.

In the health sector, Deputy High Commissioner Vartika Rawat disclosed that India supplies roughly 40% of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical imports, with exports reaching $315 million in 2024–2025.

Indian companies have also invested about $4 billion in local pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The High Commissioner highlighted India’s $395 million in concessional lines of credit and extensive technical training provided to Nigerians through the ITEC programme.