Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm reception from the Indian diaspora in Nigeria on Sunday as he arrived on the first leg of his three-nation tour.
In a series of posts on X, PM Modi shared pictures of the enthusiastic welcome extended by the Indian community in Nigeria, describing it as “heartwarming.”
Heartwarming to see the Indian community in Nigeria extending such a warm and vibrant welcome! pic.twitter.com/QYfAUOpqRO
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 16, 2024
“Heartwarming to see the Indian community in Nigeria extending such a warm and vibrant welcome!” he said.
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During his interaction with the diaspora, PM Modi noted the Marathi community’s joy at Marathi being granted the status of a Classical Language.
A member of the diaspora, Ritu Agrawal, presented the Prime Minister with a painting she created. Sharing her experience, she said, “The PM said that my drawing was very good and he took the pen from me and signed the drawing. He was very happy.”
Excitement among the Indian diaspora was palpable as many eagerly awaited the opportunity to meet PM Modi. Dhirendra Singh Chouhan, a community member, expressed his enthusiasm:
“We have been waiting for this day for a long time. We gave PM the message of how much pride we are feeling because of his visit. We hope that by his visit India-Nigeria ties will improve further.”
Members of the Indian community traveled long distances to greet the Prime Minister. Jitendra Pandey, who journeyed from Lagos to Abuja, shared his excitement:
“I came from Lagos to meet PM Modi. We felt very happy after meeting him. There is a lot of excitement among Nigerians as well because of PM Modi’s arrival.”
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also shared images of the warm reception accorded to PM Modi by the Indian diaspora and Nigerian officials.
Upon his arrival in Abuja, the capital of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, PM Modi was welcomed by Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Minister for Federal Capital Territory. As a mark of honour and trust, Minister Wike presented the Prime Minister with the ‘Key to the City’ of Abuja.
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PM Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks in Nigeria, aimed at strengthening ties between the two nations. In a statement issued before the visit, PM Modi highlighted the importance of his first stop in Nigeria, undertaken at the invitation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu:
“At the invitation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, this will be my first visit to Nigeria, which is our close partner in the West African region. My visit will be an opportunity to build upon our Strategic Partnership that is based on shared belief in democracy and pluralism. I am also eagerly looking forward to meeting the Indian community and friends from Nigeria who have sent me warm welcome messages in Hindi.”
PM Modi’s tour will next take him to Brazil for the 19th G20 Summit, scheduled from November 18 to 19. As a Troika member, India is set to play a key role in shaping the agenda, carrying forward the momentum from its own G20 presidency. Brazil is expected to focus on priorities of the Global South, ensuring progress on critical issues.
The Prime Minister’s final destination is Guyana, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in over 50 years. During his historic visit, PM Modi will address the Guyanese Parliament and pay tribute to the Indian diaspora, whose migration to Guyana began over 185 years ago.
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