Over 200 Indian companies now operate in Nigeria, creating 100,000 jobs and driving a shift from imports to domestic production.
India–Nigeria trade surged 26 per cent to nearly $9 billion in 2025–26, up from $7.13 billion the previous year, as economic ties between the two countries deepen beyond oil and commodities into manufacturing, healthcare, energy, technology, and job creation.
Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abishek Singh, said more than 200 Indian companies are now active in Nigeria, collectively employing close to 100,000 people — making Indian businesses the second‑largest employers of Nigerians after the Federal Government.
This expanding corporate footprint marks a decisive shift from an export‑driven relationship toward local production. Indian firms are increasingly setting up manufacturing and production facilities in Nigeria across pharmaceuticals, power, construction, consumer goods, and healthcare.
Healthcare is emerging as a major pillar of cooperation. Deputy High Commissioner Vertika Rawat disclosed that Indian pharmaceutical exports to Nigeria reached $315 million in 2024–25, with India supplying about 40 per cent of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical imports — and more than 90 per cent in some medicine categories. She estimated Indian investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nigeria at around $4 billion, reflecting a growing push to produce medicines locally rather than rely on imported finished products. The trend is expected to strengthen supply chains, boost skilled employment, and expand domestic production capacity.
The economic relationship, which dates back more than six decades, was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2007. Political engagement has also intensified, with President Bola Tinubu attending the G20 Summit in India in 2023 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Nigeria in November 2024.
Beyond private investment, India has provided development assistance, concessional financing, and technical training through its Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme. The deepening partnership offers Nigeria access to Indian capital, technology, and expertise — a foundation for stronger industrial capacity and sustainable growth.
