Raksha Mantri Shri 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 Mr Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Shri Rajnath Singh will attend the swearing-in ceremony at Eagle Square in Abuja on 29^th May. He will also meet the outgoing Nigerian President Mr Muhammadu Buhari during a reception hosted by him on 28^th May.

This will be the first-ever visit of an Indian Defence Minister to Nigeria. The Raksha Mantri’s visit will be an important landmark in building the strong bonds of friendship between the two countries. Considering the growing defence cooperation between India & Nigeria, senior officers of Ministry of Defence and top leadership of important Defence PSUs will accompany Shri 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 Raksha Mantri will address the Indian diaspora at Abuja during the visit.

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ABB/Savvy