The Government of India is seeking to recalibrate its strategic engagement with Africa through the forthcoming 2026 India-Africa Forum Summit, with Nigeria positioned at the centre of New Delhi’s renewed diplomatic, economic and cultural outreach to the continent.
India’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abhishek Singh, disclosed this in Abuja while briefing journalists ahead of the fourth edition of the India-Africa Forum Summit scheduled to hold on May 31 in New Delhi.
The summit, which is returning after a decade-long break, is expected to bring together African heads of state, ministers, business leaders, investors, diplomats and cultural stakeholders as India seeks to strengthen its influence across Africa amid growing global competition for economic and strategic partnerships on the continent.
“This summit is not merely a diplomatic gathering. It is a platform to deepen political dialogue, security cooperation, trade relations, developmental partnerships, people-to-people exchanges and cultural collaboration between India and Africa,” Singh said.
The envoy noted that the last summit was held in 2015 and argued that both Africa and India had undergone major political and economic changes since then, making the upcoming meeting particularly significant.
According to him, the summit will begin with senior officials’ engagements on May 28, followed by a meeting of foreign ministers on May 29 before the main leaders’ summit on May 31.
He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has been invited by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the summit.
“We would be truly honoured to have the participation of His Excellency, the President,” Singh stated.
The High Commissioner described Nigeria as a strategic pillar in India’s Africa policy, citing the country’s democratic credentials, economic weight and regional influence.
“Nigeria is Africa’s largest democracy and one of the continent’s biggest economies. We see Nigeria as emblematic of India’s relationship with Africa,” he added.
Beyond diplomatic engagements, India is also using the summit to deepen commercial and cultural ties with African countries.
Singh revealed that business forums, cultural festivals, music and dance events, as well as Track Two diplomatic engagements involving academics and private sector players, would form part of the summit activities.
“One of the major components is economic dialogue. We have invited Nigerian businessmen, industrialists and chambers of commerce to participate and redefine how we engage economically,” he said.
India said bilateral trade between Nigeria and India currently stands at between eight and nine billion dollars annually, although both countries believe there is substantial room for expansion.
According to the envoy, discussions are ongoing on improving market access, reducing trade bottlenecks and unlocking new investment opportunities in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, digital infrastructure and education.
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Singh also highlighted India’s growing interest in Nigeria’s creative and entertainment industries, particularly the rising global influence of Afrobeats music.
“The Afrobeats are becoming increasingly popular in India and names like Wizkid and Davido are not just famous in Nigeria but globally recognised and increasingly popular in India,” he said.
He further stressed India’s readiness to expand collaboration with Nigeria in information and communications technology, noting that India’s global strength in ICT and digital innovation presents major opportunities for partnership with African economies.
Analysts say the renewed India-Africa engagement reflects New Delhi’s broader geopolitical strategy to strengthen economic alliances, secure new markets and deepen influence in Africa amid intensifying competition from China, the United States, Europe and Gulf countries for strategic partnerships across the continent.
For Nigeria, the summit is expected to open fresh opportunities for trade expansion, investment inflows, educational cooperation, technology transfer and cultural exchange at a time the country is seeking stronger international economic partnerships to support growth and diversification.
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