President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been invited by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the 2026 BRICS Leaders’ Summit scheduled to hold in New Delhi, India, from September 12 to 13.
The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abhishek Singh, disclosed the invitation on Wednesday while speaking with journalists in Abuja, saying the Indian government expects President Tinubu to attend the summit and lead a Nigerian delegation.
“President of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been invited to the BRICS Summit, which is going to take place in New Delhi in a few weeks from now,” Singh said.
The envoy said Nigeria’s participation in the summit was important because the country is Africa’s largest economy and one of the world’s most populous nations.
According to him, Nigeria’s status as a BRICS partner country gives it strategic importance in discussions involving emerging economies and countries of the Global South.
Singh also said Nigeria and India had continued to support each other on international issues, including their respective ambitions for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council.
The envoy disclosed that about 60,000 Indians live in Nigeria, with many having established long-term ties in the country.
He said the Indian community had contributed to relations between both countries through education, healthcare, culture and commerce.
According to Singh, bilateral trade between Nigeria and India is approaching $10 billion, while more than 200 Indian companies currently operate in Nigeria.
He added that Indian businesses employ nearly 100,000 Nigerians, with cooperation between the two countries extending to defence, energy, healthcare, agriculture and technology.
Singh said President Tinubu’s participation in the BRICS summit would provide an opportunity for Nigeria and India to strengthen their bilateral relations and expand cooperation among countries of the Global South.
Nigeria became a BRICS partner country in January 2025, joining other partner nations as the bloc expanded its engagement beyond its full members.
The September summit in New Delhi is expected to bring together BRICS member states and partner countries for discussions on economic and political cooperation, as well as issues affecting emerging economies and the Global South.