There’s no Africa without Nigeria, says India

Rangaiah Ghanashyam, Indian high commissioner to Nigeria, says Africa cannot stand on its own if Nigeria fails to do so.

Ghanashyam (picturedd with Governor Samuel Ortom), made the assertion in Lagos on Wednesday during a three-day seminar on ‘Enhancing Trade and Investment between India and Nigeria’ being attended by 100 Indian companies.

He also praised President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade, saying it would attract more foreign investments.

He said Buhari’s commitment to fighting corruption would not only attract more foreign investments but would also make Nigeria stand on itself”.

“Let me say that this country, Nigeria, is now in safe hands because what President Buhari is doing would make more investors to come to Nigeria,” he said.

“This is, therefore, an hour in Nigeria for everyone to dream of a Nigeria that would be standing on her own. And if Nigeria cannot stand on her own, Africa cannot also stand on her own.”

Ghanashyam said he was sure that sustenance of the present administration’s fight against corruption will help Nigeria maintain its “enviable position in the continent”.

He also urged Nigeria to urgently move away from dependence on oil and focus on the development of its non-oil products.

Naresh Leeka, who led the Indian companies to Lagos, said the seminar coincided with the inauguration of the ‘The India Show, Nigeria’.

Leeka noted the growing level of Indian products and services in Nigeria, adding that the show would provide opportunity for technology transfer between India and Nigeria.

He said the Indian companies were in Nigeria to share their areas of comparative advantage as well as their readiness to partner with their Nigerian counterparts.

“The focus of this programme is to explore the synergy between India and Nigeria,” he said

Leeka said the whole essence of investment and trade interaction was to add value to the economy of both countries.

Aisa Baba-Hassan, executive secretary and chief executive officer of Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), assured the Indian companies of Buhari’s commitment to providing them with good investment environment.

The visiting 100 Indian companies came from the agriculture, electrical, textile, pharmaceutical, automotive, construction, engineering, oil and gas, power, water and other sectors.