INDIA High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr Mahesh Sachdev, on
Wednesday, said that the Indian government now leads the United States
in the purchase of crude oil from Nigeria.
He disclosed this during a courtesy call on Niger State Governor,
Babangida Aliyu, at the government house in Minna. He said recent
statistics showed that India had been buying more of Nigeria’s crude
than the United States government over the last three months.
Sachdev
also said that bilateral trade between Nigeria and India had hit $10bn
mark while India’s investment in the country was valued at $16.6bn.
The
envoy said India would continue to cooperate with Nigeria to improve
her economy, adding that India would assist Nigeria in capacity building
of workers in both the public and private sectors as one of the ways to
revamp Nigeria’s economy.
“To reduce unemployment in Nigeria, the Indian government is now
partnering with the Kano State Government for the establishment of a
film city. We will also collaborate with the Niger State Government to
create health care facilities and improve agriculture as well as embark
on vocational training of youths towards self employment,” Sachdev said .
Responding,
Governor Aliyu commended India for being one of the few countries in
the world that had kept faith in the policy of strengthening the civil
service, saying that the retention of the policy had helped the country
to develop in all ramifications.
He therefore urged Nigeria to
take a cue from India for the rapid economic development of the country,
adding that if peace prevailed in all parts of the country the economy
would be revived.
