₦airaland Forum

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been invited by the India government to attend the 2026 India-Africa Summit.

The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abhishek Singh, disclosed this yesterday, saying that the summit will serve as a platform to deepen trade, cultural and strategic relations between India and African countries.

The fourth edition of the summit has been scheduled to hold on May 31 in New Delhi, bringing together African leaders, ministers, business executives and cultural stakeholders, Singh announced during a media briefing.

He said both sides seek to strengthen cooperation after a decade-long pause in the summit process.

The High Commissioner disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had been invited by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the summit.

“We would be truly honoured to have the participation of His Excellency, the President,” he said.

“This will provide a platform to discuss several issues pertaining to security, political dialogue, economic and trade relations, developmental partnership, people-to-people exchanges and cultural exchanges,” the envoy said.

Singh described Nigeria as central to India’s engagement with Africa, citing its democratic credentials and economic influence on the continent.

“Nigeria is Africa’s largest democracy and one of the largest economies in Africa. We are looking at Nigeria as being emblematic of India’s Africa relationship,” he said.

According to him, the summit activities will begin with a senior officials’ meeting on May 28, followed by a foreign ministers’ meeting on May 29 before the main summit on May 31.

He added that business forums, music and dance festivals as well as Track Two diplomatic engagements would accompany the summit to broaden cooperation beyond government relations.

“One of them is the economic dialogue where we have invited Nigerian businessmen, industrialists and chambers to participate and redefine how they look at our engagement,” Singh said.

On economic relations, the envoy said bilateral trade between India and Nigeria currently stood between $8 billion and $9 billion annually, while both countries continued discussions on market access and trade barriers.

“We are doing fairly well, giving some room for improvement because there is immense potential,” he noted. Singh also stressed the growing influence of Nigerian culture in India, particularly Afrobeat music.

“The Afrobeats are becoming increasingly popular in India and names like Wizkid and Davido are not names which are popular only in Nigeria, but they are global icons and very popular in India as well,” he added.

He further highlighted India’s interest in expanding collaboration with Nigeria in information and communications technology, digital infrastructure and education.

“India is globally known to be a very strong power of information technology and ICT, and we look forward to more and more collaborations with partner countries like Nigeria in this sector,” the High Commissioner said.

The envoy noted that the last time the forum held was in 2015, and it is returning at a time when both India and Africa had witnessed significant political and economic transformation.

“As I mentioned, this is the fourth edition of the India-Africa Forum Summit and it is happening after a hiatus of 10 years,” Singh stated.This came as India indicated interest to support Nigeria’s textile sector revival and manufacturing growth.

The Indian High Commissioner disclosed this yesterday at the Textile Meet/B2B Nigeria–India engagement held at the premises of the High commission.

Singh said both countries possessed complementary strengths capable of transforming the textile sector into a flagship area of economic cooperation through technology transfer, investment partnerships, skills development and deeper bilateral trade cooperation.

Singh noted that despite longstanding economic ties between both countries, textile trade remained below its full potential, stressing that India was ready to support Nigeria’s textile revival agenda through investments across the value chain.

“Nigeria’s textile revival programme offers opportunities for Indian firms to establish ginning,

spinning and processing facilities in Nigeria’s cotton belts such as Katsina and Zamfara,” he said.

According to him, India could also provide “technology and skill transfer with regard to modern looms, digital printing and dyeing technology,”

while Indian machinery manufacturers could supply equipment backed by training and buy-back arrangements.

The envoy disclosed that India exported textiles and apparel worth $37.75 billion in 2024–25, supplying more than 200 global markets and accounting for 4.1 per cent of global textile trade.

He explained that Indian exports to Nigeria currently include cotton fabrics, polyester-viscose blends, carpets, traditional wear fabrics, affordable garments and textile machinery.

Singh, however, observed that Indian textile products still faced limited access to Nigeria’s market due to import restrictions, high logistics costs, forex shortages and competition from cheaper Asian suppliers.

“Statistics show that Nigeria’s total textile export in 2024 was at 25.69 million dollars, of which India’s share is merely five per cent,” he said.

The High Commissioner said India was also interested in collaborating with Nigeria’s fashion industry, which he valued at over 4.7 billion dollars.

educatedfool:
Them no see any other person

Pakute:
• New Delhi offers to support Nigeria’s textile sector, manufacturing



https://thenationonlineng.net/india-invites-tinubu-for-india-africa-2026-summit/

Dennisochampa:
Whah is happening...
They said he's not working... Yet countries want to work with him...
Is there something he's doing right that Nigerians in Nigeria cannot see because of insecurity and hunger or what...

Anyway I will vote for him come 2027....
Before u insult me for picking my choice.. .. Know say e no go better for you

As long as I no insult u for deciding to vote your choice, and u insult me... Na reverse your life go deh forever....
If u want to prove me wrong... Do it in the polls and make sure tinubu doesn't get elected a second time....
I am not your enemy....
The politicians in Nigeria are your enemies....
I think tinubu is best for the job... U think another person is the best... Let's decide in the polls... Not by insulting each other.....
May Nigeria be great again....

PHIPEX:
One country invites/summons an entire continent, God punish poverty

China invites Africa
Russia invites Africa
Japan invites Africa
England invites Africa
US invites Africa
Brazil invites Africa
India invite Africa
UAE invites Africa

Very soon Iraq and Iran will invite Africa

Such an unending shame of a begi begi continent looking for free food and cheap loans

Dennisochampa:
Whah is happening...
They said he's not working... Yet countries want to work with him...
Is there something he's doing right that Nigerians in Nigeria cannot see because of insecurity and hunger or what...

Anyway I will vote for him come 2027....
Before u insult me for picking my choice.. .. Know say e no go better for you

As long as I no insult u for deciding to vote your choice, and u insult me... Na reverse your life go deh forever....
If u want to prove me wrong... Do it in the polls and make sure tinubu doesn't get elected a second time....
I am not your enemy....
The politicians in Nigeria are your enemies....
I think tinubu is best for the job... U think another person is the best... Let's decide in the polls... Not by insulting each other.....
May Nigeria be great again....

Gbadugbakun:
Yea, he will go there to request for more loans

Pakute:
• New Delhi offers to support Nigeria’s textile sector, manufacturing



https://thenationonlineng.net/india-invites-tinubu-for-india-africa-2026-summit/

Smartguyboy:
India Africa summit in India 🇮🇳

🤡 all over this useless continent

Smartguyboy:
What will happen if they host it in Africa?

CorrectionFLuid:
.
Just talk say he wan go. No dey bobo us with he was invited

PHIPEX:
One country invites/summons an entire continent, God punish poverty

China invites Africa
Russia invites Africa
Japan invites Africa
England invites Africa
US invites Africa
Brazil invites Africa
India invite Africa
UAE invites Africa

Very soon Iraq and Iran will invite Africa

Such an unending shame of a begi begi continent looking for free food and cheap loans

Mathewrichard99:
Aaaaah, aaaah.... Tinubu again! What time does this man even spend in the country sef? Anyway, either he's in the country or outside the country..... U se le ss as that K in Napkin.....