India has announced that thousands of Nigerians have received professional training in fields such as information technology, engineering, rural development, governance, finance, and entrepreneurship.
The Acting High Commissioner of India to Nigeria, Ms. Vartika Rawat, made this known during a ceremony in Abuja to mark the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Day. She explained that the initiative has not only empowered individuals but also strengthened national growth in meaningful ways.
“India and Nigeria share common democratic values, a strong historical connection, and growing economic and cultural ties. Celebrating ITEC Day is about celebrating a partnership built on mutual respect, learning, and shared aspirations,” Rawat said.
She revealed that since the launch of the programme, more than 200,000 officials from over 160 countries have benefited, including participants from both civilian and defence sectors. According to her, the training opportunities are backed by India’s vast academic and professional institutions, making them well-suited to deliver practical solutions across different sectors.
Rawat further noted that beyond the regular courses, India responds to specific requests by creating customised programmes. She recalled how, last year, 25 officials from Nigeria’s NASRDA were hosted at the ISRO Centre in Dehradun, while another 25 attended an IT training at CDAC, Mohali, and a separate group of 25 participated in a teacher-training programme at NITTTR Chennai.
She added that aside from ITEC, India runs several other initiatives, including the India-Africa Maitri Scholarship Scheme, which supports 30 Nigerian students every year, as well as academic visitor programmes, language development initiatives, and training designed for young diplomats.
Representing Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, the Deputy Director for Asia and Pacific in the ministry, Amb. Mohammed Haidara, commended India’s long-standing commitment to knowledge sharing. He emphasized that Nigerians who have returned from India’s programmes are not just equipped with stronger technical skills but have also come back with new perspectives that are driving innovation across government, agriculture, ICT, healthcare, and other key areas.
“The impact of ITEC is clear in our ministries, agencies, and institutions,” Haidara said, stressing that the training has created a pool of change-makers contributing to Nigeria’s progress.
