Abuja: Amb. Saidu Muhammad, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to India, has officially presented his Letters of Credence to President Droupadi Murmu at a formal ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event took place on Monday, marking a significant step in strengthening Nigeria-India bilateral relations. Muhammad conveyed the goodwill and best wishes of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to President Murmu, emphasizing his commitment to enhancing economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two nations.
Muhammad described his appointment as both a privilege and a responsibility, highlighting his intent to advance Nigeria’s interests and build upon the longstanding ties between Nigeria and India. He noted that the bilateral relationship extends beyond political and diplomatic engagements, delving into economic, commercial, cultural, educational, and people-to-people connections. The High Commissioner expressed his determination to encourage greater Indian investment in Nigeria and to bolster business-to-business engagement, thus facilitating Nigerian enterprises’ access to the Indian market.
President Murmu welcomed Muhammad to India and congratulated him on his new role. She underscored the historical bonds and mutual respect that form the foundation of Nigeria-India relations and highlighted the importance of economic and commercial ties, noting India’s role as a major trading partner of Nigeria. Murmu pointed out the potential for expanding trade, investment, and economic cooperation between the two countries.
The Indian President also acknowledged the contributions of Indian businesses and investors to Nigeria’s economic development and stressed the importance of private-sector engagement to deepen economic cooperation. Murmu expressed confidence that Muhammad’s tenure would positively impact the development of Nigeria-India relations and wished him success in his diplomatic duties.
The ceremony also saw President Murmu receiving credentials from ambassadors of five other countries, including South Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Moldova, Germany, and Sweden.