Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Abuja, the capital of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on Sunday. He received a grand welcome upon his arrival. He is on a visit to three countries—Nigeria, Brazil, and Guyana—scheduled from November 16 to 21. Modi becomes the first Indian Prime Minister to visit this West African nation in 17 years. In the first phase of his visit, Prime Minister Modi is in Nigeria. Afterward, he will travel to Brazil to attend the G-20 summit with world leaders. The final phase of his trip will take him to Guyana, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the South American nation in over 50 years. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu welcomed Prime Minister Modi at the Abuja airport. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Ezewon Wike, presented Prime Minister Modi with the key to the city of Abuja, symbolizing the trust and respect extended to him by the people of Nigeria. Prime Minister Modi thanked President Tinubu and expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome on social media. He wrote, “Thank you, President Tinubu. I’ve just arrived in Nigeria and I’m grateful for the heartfelt welcome. I hope this visit strengthens the bilateral friendship between our countries.” The Indian community in Abuja gathered at the airport to welcome the Prime Minister. Modi later tweeted, “It’s heartwarming to receive such a warm welcome from the Indian community in Nigeria!” Earlier, President Tinubu had expressed his eagerness to welcome the Indian Prime Minister, stating on social media, “Our bilateral discussions will focus on expanding our strategic partnership and enhancing cooperation in key areas. Prime Minister Modi, welcome to Nigeria.”
