Tinubu Hosts Indian Prime Minister Modi at Aso Villa
President Bola Tinubu warmly welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the State House in Abuja during an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between Nigeria and India.
Modi arrived in Abuja on Saturday evening and was officially received by President Tinubu on Sunday morning at 10:20 am. The reception, held at the State House Forecourt, featured a full ceremonial welcome.
The event began with the playing of the Indian national anthem, followed by Nigeria’s national anthem. Prime Minister Modi inspected the Guard of Honour mounted by Nigeria’s Brigade of Guards, culminating in a 21-gun salute in his honor.
The two leaders are engaging in high-level bilateral talks, which include a restricted meeting and discussions at the delegation level. Their agenda focuses on fostering cooperation in key sectors and formalizing agreements through the signing and exchange of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, emphasized the significance of the visit in a statement, describing it as a step towards reinforcing the strategic partnership between the two nations.
“President Tinubu and Prime Minister Modi will work to deepen Nigeria-India relations through bilateral discussions and the signing of critical MoUs to enhance collaboration in vital sectors,” the statement read.
This marks the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Nigeria since Dr. Manmohan Singh’s historic trip in 2007, which laid the foundation for the strategic partnership between the two countries.
