Nigeria

PM Modi gifts Kolhapur's traditional metal work to Nigerian President

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted Nigerian president Bola Ahmed Tinubu a 'Silofar Panchamrit Kalash', officials said on Monday, describing the pot as a stunning example of traditional craftsmanship from Kolhapur in Maharashtra. This 'kalash', they added, is made from high-quality silver, shaped with skill and precision. It features elegant engravings typical of Kolhapur's renowned metal work, with motifs that often include floral patterns, deities and traditional designs. The handle of the 'kalash' and the lid are crafted to provide ease of use during religious ceremonies, where 'panchamrit' -- a sacred mixture of milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar -- is served, they said. Modi had arrived in Nigerian capital Abuja early Sunday on the first trip to the country by an Indian prime minister after a gap of 17 years. He is currently on a five-day tour of three countries and reached Brazil earlier on Monday to attend the G20 summit.

PM concludes Nigeria visit, boosts ties with Africa's largest democracy

PM Modi's visit to Nigeria is part of his three-nation tour, which will also take him to Brazil and Guyana from November 17 to 21

India accords high priority to strategic partnership with Nigeria: PM Modi

India accords high priority to its strategic partnership with Nigeria, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday as he held extensive talks with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that focused on shoring up bilateral ties in key sectors such as defence, trade, energy and agriculture. In their meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed commitment to jointly fight terrorism, piracy and radicalisation and vowed to work towards meeting the aspirations of the Global South. The prime minister arrived in Abuja early Sunday on the first trip to the country by an Indian prime minister after a gap of 17 years. PM Modi offered India's experience in agriculture, transportation, affordable medicine, renewable energy, and digital transformation to Nigeria, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on the talks. On his part, Tinubu appreciated the development cooperation partnership offered by India and its meaningful impact in creating local capacities, skills, and professional expertise. In the

PM Narendra Modi conferred with Nigeria's second-highest national award

Nigeria on Sunday conferred its second-highest national award, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making him the second foreign dignitary to receive the distinction. "Honoured to be conferred with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger' Award by Nigeria. I accept it with great humility and dedicate it to the people of India," Modi said in his remarks after receiving the award. This was the 17th international award conferred on Modi by a country. Queen Elizabeth is the only foreign dignitary who was awarded GCON in 1969. Modi is in Nigeria on the first leg of his three-nation visit at the invitation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This visit is the first by an Indian prime minister to Nigeria in 17 years. On his arrival in Nigeria on Sunday, Prime Minister Modi was warmly welcomed by Minister for Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who presented him with the 'Key to the City' of Abuja. "The key symbolises the trust and

India accords high-priority to strategic partnership with Nigeria: PM Modi

India accords high priority to its strategic partnership with Nigeria and it will work towards boosting ties in a range of areas, including defence, energy and trade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his talks with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday. In his televised opening remarks at the meeting, Modi identified terrorism, separatism, piracy and drug trafficking as major challenges and said the two countries will continue to work together to deal with them. Modi arrived in Abuja early Sunday on the first trip to the country by an Indian prime minister after a gap of 17 years. "We give high priority to our strategic partnership with Nigeria...I am confident that a new chapter in our ties will begin following our talks," the prime minister said. Modi also described the around 60,000-strong Indian expatriate community as a key pillar of India-Nigeria relations and thanked Tinubu for ensuring their welfare. The prime minister also announced that India is sending

PM Modi arrives in Nigeria on first leg of his three-nation visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday arrived in Nigeria on the first leg of his three-nation visit at the invitation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This visit is the first by an Indian prime minister to Nigeria in 17 years. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Abuja, Nigeria. Warmly welcomed by Minister for Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who presented the prime minister with the 'Key to the City' of Abuja. The key symbolises the trust and honour bestowed on the prime minister by the people of Nigeria," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a late-night post on X. The MEA also shared pictures of the prime minister being welcomed to the country. This is Modi's first-ever visit to the West African Region. He is on a five-day visit to Nigeria, Brazil and Guyana. From Nigeria, he will travel to Brazil. In his departure statement, Modi said, "I am also eagerly looking forward to meeting the Indian community and friends from Nigeria who have sent me warm ..

29 Nigerian children may be sentenced to death for protest against crisis

Twenty-nine children could be facing the death penalty in Nigeria after they were arraigned Friday for participating in a protest against the country's record cost-of-living crisis. Four of them collapsed in court due to exhaustion before they could enter a plea. A total of 76 protesters were charged with 10 felony counts, including treason, destruction of property, public disturbance and mutiny, according to the charge sheet seen by The Associated Press. According to the charge sheet, the minors ranged in age from 14 to 17 years old. Frustration over the cost-of-living crisis has led to several mass protests in recent months. In August, at least 20 people were shot dead and hundreds more were arrested at a protest demanding better opportunities and jobs for young people. The death sentence was introduced in the 1970s in Nigeria, but there have been no executions in the country since 2016. Akintayo Balogun, a private lawyer based in Abuja, said the Child Rights Act does not allow

Over 140 killed, dozens injured after gasoline tanker explodes in Nigeria

More than 140 people, including children, were killed and dozens were injured in Nigeria after an overturned gasoline tanker truck exploded in flames while they were trying to scoop up fuel pouring from the vehicle, emergency services said Wednesday. The accident occurred at midnight in Jigawa state's Majiya town when the tanker driver lost control of the vehicle while travelling on a highway, police spokesperson Lawan Adam said. Residents rushed to the scene and were scooping up fuel, sparking a massive inferno, he said. "Close to 140 people were put in a mass grave apart from people buried in other places," Nura Abdullahi, head of the National Emergency Management Agency in the region, told The Associated Press. Residents of Majiya were in mourning on Wednesday as they held a mass burial for the victims. Most of the bodies were unrecognizable, emergency services said. Deadly tanker accidents are common in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, where traffic regulations are not

At least 40 people missing after boat capsizes in Nigeria, authorities say

At least 40 people have drowned in a boat accident on a river in northwest Nigeria, said President Bola Tinubu on Sunday. The accident happened in Zamfara state, as farmers were trying to get to their land, said Tinubu in a statement. The president promised support for the victims and directed emergency agencies to assess the incident. Yazid Abubakar, a police spokesperson in Zamfara, told The Associated Press the accident happened on Saturday and that five people were rescued, but 40 are still missing. It was not immediately clear how many people were on the boat when it went down.

Boko Haram militants attack Nigerian village, kill over 100, say residents

At least 100 villagers were killed in northeastern Nigeria when suspected Boko Haram Islamic extremists opened fire on a market, on worshippers and in people's homes, residents said Wednesday, the latest killings in Africa's longest struggle with militancy. More than 50 extremists on motorcycles rode into the Tarmuwa council area of Yobe state on Sunday evening and began firing before setting buildings ablaze, according to Yobe police spokesperson Dungus Abdulkarim. The police blamed the attack on Boko Haram, which since 2009 has launched an insurgency to establish its radical interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia, in the region. Boko Haram has since splintered into different factions, together accounting for the direct deaths of at least 35,000 people and the displacement of more than 2 million, as well as a humanitarian crisis with millions of people in dire need of foreign aid. At least 1,500 people have so far been killed in the region this year in attacks by armed groups, ..

Indian companies should develop new products tailored for Nigeria: LFZ CEO

Lagos Free Zone (LFZ) CEO Adesuwa Ladoja on Monday said there is an opportunity for Indian companies to develop new products tailored for the Nigerian as well as the broader African markets. LFZ is a port-based industrial zone (850 hectares) in Lagos, Nigeria, with over USD 2.75 billion committed FDI projects to date. "We are owned and promoted by Tolaram Group and located in Lekki, the sun rise development corridor in Lagos," Ladoja told PTI. According to her, Tolaram Group has observed that having a local presence in Nigeria allows companies to better understand and adapt to the Nigerian market, leading to more profitable operations. "This is an opportunity for Indian companies to develop new products tailored to the Nigerian and broader African markets," Ladoja said. She said LFZ is serving global brands like BASF, Tata International, Kellogg's, Colgate, Arla, Dufil, Lekki Portamong among others as their current tenants. "We are ideally positioned to serve the manufacturing se

Nigeria becomes first African basketball team to qualify for Olympic QFs

Ezinne Kalu had a giant smile on her face as she joined her teammates for a celebratory run around the court with Nigerian flags. Nigeria had reached a place no African country in men's or women's basketball had ever gone before the quarter-finals of the Olympics. Kalu scored 21 points and Nigeria secured a spot in the elimination round in Paris by downing Canada 79-70 on Sunday for its second win of the Olympics. It means a lot, you know, not just to us as a team, but to the entire world of Africa, Kalu said. "It only gets harder from here." When the final buzzer sounded, the team went to midcourt to start celebrating, with an assistant coach using her phone to record the moment. The Nigerians stopped to high-five the Canadians and then returned to celebrating with a midcourt huddle. An assistant coach grabbed a flag from a fan for photos on the court, and the Nigerians took their time hugging and posing for more photos as they savoured the moment. Surreal. This isn't going to

Nigeria slaps $220 mn fine on Meta over violation of data protection laws

Nigeria's government on Friday announced a fine of USD 220 million on Meta, saying its investigations found multiple and repeated violations of the country's data protection and consumer rights laws on Facebook and WhatsApp. A statement from Nigeria's Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, or FCCPC, listed five ways that Meta violated data laws in the West African country, including by sharing the data of Nigerians without authorization, denying consumers the right to self-determine the use of their data, discriminatory practices as well as abuse of market dominance. "Being satisfied with the significant evidence on the record, and that Meta Parties have been provided every opportunity to articulate any position ... the Commission has now entered a Final Order, and issued a penalty against Meta Parties," FCCPC chief executive Adamu Abdullahi said in a statement. A spokesperson for Meta didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Nigeria, which is Africa's

Female suicide bombers kill at least 18 people in Nigeria, say officials

Female suicide bombers targeted a wedding, a funeral, and a hospital in coordinated attacks in northern Nigeria that killed at least 18 people, local authorities said Sunday. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the the attacks in Borno state, which has been heavily affected by the insurgency launched in 2009 by Boko Haram. The extremist group previously has used women and girls in suicide bombings, prompting suspicions that some attackers come from the many thousands of people the militants have kidnapped over the years, including schoolchildren. The first suicide bomber detonated a device during a marriage celebration in the northeastern town of Gwoza, Barkindo Saidu, director-general of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, told reporters. Minutes later, another blast occurred near General Hospital, Saidu said, and the third bomber at the funeral service was disguised as a mourner. Children and pregnant women were among those killed. At least 30 others were wounde

India, Nigeria agree to early conclusion of local currency settlement

India and Nigeria have agreed to an early conclusion of a local currency settlement system agreement to further strengthen economic ties between the two countries. According to the department of commerce, a seven-member delegation from India led by Additional Secretary in the commerce ministry Amardeep Singh Bhatia visited Abuja, Nigeria for the second session of India-Nigeria Joint Trade Committee (JTC) on April 29-30. It was held after a gap of five years. Both sides have identified several focus areas to enhance bilateral trade and mutually beneficial investments. The sectors include crude oil, natural gas, pharmaceuticals, unified payments interface (UPI), local currency settlement system, power and renewable energy, agriculture and food processing, education, transport, railway, aviation, and MSMEs development. "Both sides agreed to the early conclusion of a local currency settlement system agreement to further strengthen bilateral economic ties," the department has said on ..

India-Nigeria joint commission meet: EAM Jaishankar stresses on cooperation

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday co-chaired the 6th Joint Commission Meeting between India and Nigeria and said that both the sides have agreed to strengthen efforts in a slew of sectors, including people-to-people exchange, energy, mobility and consular cooperations. The Joint Commission meeting, which Jaishankar co-chaired along with his counterpart Yusuf Tuggar, also discussed opportunities in the sectors of energy, power, renewables, transport, healthcare, fintech, agriculture, and security between the two countries. Co-chaired the 6th Joint Commission Meeting along with FM @YusufTuggar. Noted the expansion of our economic cooperation, especially trade and investment. Discussed new opportunities in energy, power, renewables, transport, healthcare, fintech, agriculture and security," Jaishankar said in a post on X. Earlier, he arrived in the Nigerian capital Abuja from Lagos, which he reached on Sunday after attending the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in ...

Global South is about mindset, solidarity, self-reliance: EAM Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said Global South is about a "mindset, a solidarity and a self-reliance". Addressing the Nigerian Institute Of International Affairs (NIIA) here on India and the Global South, he said the global agenda today is on promoting rebalancing and multipolarity, thereby restoring the world to its natural diversity. "Contemporary challenges emanate from old forms of domination as well as new economic concentration...Global South is about a mindset, a solidarity and a self-reliance," Jaishankar said. The transformation over the last decade, the minister said, has "enabled India to be an example, a partner and a contributor". Jaishankar arrived in Nigeria in the concluding leg of his two-nation tour to Uganda and Nigeria. He arrived in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Sunday after attending the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Uganda.

India proud of its traditions, culture and history, says EAM Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said that India today is proud of its traditions, its culture and its history as he underlined that there are very few civilisations who have survived as a modern nation and we are one of them. Jaishankar, who arrived in Nigeria after attending the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Uganda, made the remarks while addressing the Indian community members here. We are today sending a message to the world, that this is also an India, which is proud of its traditions, of its culture, of its history, said Jaishankar, who is here on his first visit as External Affairs Minister. The minister said that in the world there are very few civilizations, who have survived as a modern nation and we are one of them." He highlighted developmental activities in India, saying there is a sense today that India is being built and there is a flow of investment. On ties with Nigeria, Jaishankar said that the two sides have business of about USD 12-15 bil

Over 140 people killed in Nigeria amid rising ethnic, religious tensions

Amnesty International Nigeria's office told The Associated Press that it has so far confirmed 140 deaths in the Christian-dominated Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi local government areas of Plateau

Nigeria aims Brics in two years, join G-20 in new foreign policy push

BRICS is a grouping of the emerging market powers Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. In August they invited six other nations, including top oil exporter Saudi Arabia, to join their ranks