Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Nigeria between May 28-30, 2023 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect of the West African nation Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Rajnath Singh will attend the swearing-in ceremony at Eagle Square in Abuja on 29th May. He will also meet the outgoing Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari during a reception hosted by him on 28th May.
This will be the first-ever visit of an Indian Defence Minister to Nigeria. The Defence Minister’s visit will be an important landmark in building strong bonds of friendship between the two countries. Considering the growing defence cooperation between India & Nigeria, senior officers of the Ministry of Defence and top leadership of important Defence PSUs will accompany Rajnath Singh. They will hold meetings with the representatives from the Nigerian industry and the Armed Forces to identify the equipment and platforms, through which the Indian Defence industry can support the country’s requirements.
Nigeria is home to an estimated 50,000 members of the Indian community. The Defence Minister will address the Indian diaspora at Abuja during the visit.