Education, tech, others responsible for India’s economic growth – Minister 

Indian Secretary, (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs, Dammu Ravi, has attributed his country’s economic growth to practical initiatives that focused on infrastructural development, right education, skills acquisition, and Information and Communication Technology.

Ravi, who was in the company of the Indian High Commission to Nigeria, Mr. Shri G. Balasubramanian, also recognized the crucial roles of small and medium-scale enterprises and digital infrastructure, which he said, brought in transparency and enabled the empowerment of the common man.

Ravi was part of the delegation of Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, to Nigeria.

Upon arrival Saturday evening, the Prime Minister was received by Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who offered him the ceremonial key to the City of Abuja, before meeting with his Nigerian counterpart, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday, where both leaders reaffirmed their supports and commitments to strengthening their countries’ strategic partnership.

Both leaders also discussed bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, defense, security, education, health, culture and people-to-people relations. Other areas of focus include agriculture, pharmaceuticals, railways, and transportation. and development cooperation fields.

Ravi also noted that with about 200 Indian companies, the country was planning to surpass the current $27 billion investment in Nigeria.

“And the two leaders have discussed ways to further expand this economic partnership for the mutual benefit of the two countries. Indian companies are also creating large number of jobs in Nigeria, building capacity of youths with a large number of scholarships and digital education methods.

“Nigerian students have availed significant facilities both in this country and also in India under Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program. Both leaders have also discussed global and regional issues. And in that context, they have reiterated their commitment to further deepen their commitment to the global south and how to take forward its agenda in the global discourse.”

For Nigeria to tackle the challenge of food insecurity, Ravi expressed the need for Nigeria and India to collaborate in areas of seed supplies, mechanized farming, supply of tractors, research and development.

The World Food Programme (WFP) recently estimated that 33.1 million Nigerians will face food insecurity next year if urgent is not taken to address acute food insecurity occasioned by economic hardship, climate crisis and violence in the North-East.

The Indian visiting secretary however believed that Nigeria and many African countries provide an opportunity for Indian entrepreneurs to grow food crops in the continent to attain food security.

“While Indian companies are very strong in the traditional areas of manufacturing in Nigeria with more than 200 companies having invested $27 billion in the economy here, there are new areas that are being identified, which include agriculture,” Ravi said.

“Irrigation services, hybrid seed development, research and development on good seeds, climate-resistant seeds, and other things are being considered so that such areas can also come into focus between the two countries.”

On the health sector, he recalled that there was nearly $4 billion of investment by Indian companies in the pharmaceutical sector in Nigeria while the 300-bed multi-specialty hospital will soon be unveiled.

“There is already existing eye hospitals of India here in Abuja and in Lagos as well as another multi-specialty hospital. I can also tell you that there is going to be a bigger hospital – a 300-bed hospital that has come up in Abuja, which will be opened very shortly with expert doctors and technicians from India with modern technologies.

On the right education under the Skill India initiative, Ravi said: “There is a lot of emphasis on making youngsters while undertaking formal education, also pick up good skills for the use of the industry. That is an ongoing program and we are very committed to it.”