India-Nigeria Trade Hits $9bn as Indian Companies Create Nearly 100,000 Jobs

India-Nigeria trade climbed by 26 per cent to about $9 billion in 2025–26, up from $7.13 billion recorded the previous year, as economic ties between both countries expand beyond oil and raw materials.

The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abishek Singh, said more than 200 Indian companies are currently operating in Nigeria and have created nearly 100,000 jobs. He described Indian businesses as the second-largest employers of Nigerians after the Federal Government.

The growing presence of Indian firms also reflects a shift towards local production. Companies are investing in manufacturing across sectors including pharmaceuticals, power, construction, consumer goods and healthcare, creating opportunities for Nigerian workers and local suppliers.

Healthcare has emerged as one of the key areas of cooperation. India’s Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Vertika Rawat, said Indian pharmaceutical exports to Nigeria reached $315 million in 2024–25, with India accounting for about 40 per cent of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical imports and more than 90 per cent in some medicine categories.

Rawat also put Indian investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nigeria at about $4 billion. The investment is expected to support local medicine production, strengthen supply chains and create more skilled jobs while reducing reliance on imported finished pharmaceutical products.

The relationship between Nigeria and India dates back more than six decades and was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2007. Political engagement has also remained active, with President Bola Tinubu attending the G20 Summit in India in 2023 and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Nigeria in November 2024.

Beyond private-sector investment, India has supported Nigeria through development assistance, concessional financing and technical training under its Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme. The expanding partnership could give Nigeria greater access to Indian capital, technology and expertise as the country seeks to increase domestic production and create more employment.