This Saturday, November 16, Nigeria receives the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. The latter, on his way to the G20 which will be held next week in Brazil, is making a 24-hour stopover at the invitation of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to discuss the “ strategic partnership between India and Nigeria as well as ways to strengthen bilateral relations “. It has been 17 years since an Indian Prime Minister had set foot on Nigerian soil, despite New Delhi’s privileged partner on the African continent. A visit, behind which a “seduction operation” could be hidden.
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During his re-election last June, Narendra Modi rejoiced “ to the idea of strengthening the partnership between India and Nigeria in the interest of our citizens and the region “. According to the Indian Consulate in Nigeria“ India is one of Nigeria’s largest trading partners and Abuja is India’s largest trading partner in Africa, bilateral trade having reached nearly $12 billion between 2021 and 2022 “.
A fertile ground therefore forIndiawhich wishes to establish its influence on the African continent, as explained to Paul Lorgerie from RFI’s Africa service, Jean-Joseph Boillot, associate researcher at the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (Iris), specializing in Indian policy issues: “ It is a visit, essentially, with a political vocation. Because New Delhi realized that China was making quite remarkable inroads in the countries of the “global South” and that India was losing its status as leader of the southern countries. »
Nigeria intends to diversify its partners
It is also a way for Nigeria to diversify its partnerships and therefore avoid any form of dependence.
“ There is also this increasingly clear idea in the southern countries of never depending on this or thatsaid againJean-Joseph Boillot. And so, the key is the plurality of suppliers, of customers. It’s about not being pressured so as not to be forced to align yourself with this or that position. This is particularly the case with China. Nigeria certainly does not want to depend on Beijing. » However, China remained Nigeria’s leading supplier in 2023.
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