Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu hails Modi’s 25-year leadership milestone, calls for deeper Nigeria-India strategic ties

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended warm congratulations to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completing 25 years as head of government, describing the unbroken tenure as a rare democratic achievement and a testament to the enduring confidence of the Indian people. In an official message, Tinubu marked the anniversary of Modi’s assumption of office as Chief Minister of Gujarat on October 7, 2001. After more than 12 years leading the western Indian state, Modi became Prime Minister of India in 2014 and has remained in the role continuously since.

"A quarter-century of unbroken leadership is a rare achievement in any democracy. In the world’s most populous nation, it is a powerful testament to the enduring confidence the Indian people have placed in him,” Tinubu wrote. He praised Modi’s vision and commitment to development, noting the transformation of Gujarat and India’s emergence as one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies through advances in infrastructure, digital public goods, financial inclusion and innovation.

Tinubu recalled Modi’s historic state visit to Abuja in November 2024, the first by an Indian prime minister in 17 years, during which Nigeria conferred on him the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger. That visit, he said, gave fresh impetus to cooperation in trade and investment, energy, defence and security, health, education and technology. The two nations, both large democracies and leading voices of the Global South, share a common commitment to a fairer and more representative international order, Tinubu added. He expressed confidence that under Modi’s continued leadership, bonds of friendship between the peoples of Nigeria and India would grow stronger, while wishing the Indian leader good health and success in the service of his country.

The congratulatory message comes against the backdrop of a multidimensional partnership that has evolved well beyond historical goodwill. Bilateral trade, which once approached $15 billion, stood at about $9 billion in the 2025–26 financial year after recovering from a dip to $7.13 billion the previous year. Officials on both sides have voiced ambitions to restore and expand trade volumes, with energy cooperation, including renewed Indian purchases of Nigerian crude, remaining a key pillar alongside efforts to move beyond raw commodity exchanges toward value-added investment. More than 200 Indian companies operate in Nigeria across pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, power, construction, consumer goods, healthcare and services, creating significant local employment. India supplies roughly 40 percent of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical imports and over 90 percent in certain medicine categories, reinforcing its role as a major health-sector partner.

India assisted in establishing key Nigerian military institutions, including the National Defence Academy in Kaduna and the Naval College in Port Harcourt, and continues to offer training slots under its technical and economic cooperation programmes. Both countries have had high-level engagements, including meetings on the sidelines of recent BRICS Summit 2026, have kept momentum alive on areas ranging from digital public infrastructure and fintech to agriculture, renewable energy and creative industries.