Nigeria on Sunday conferred its second-highest nationwide award – the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger – on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making him the second international dignitary to obtain the excellence.
“Honoured to be conferred with the ‘Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger’ Award by Nigeria. I settle for it with nice humility and dedicate it to the 140 crore individuals of India and the friendship of India and Nigeria,” Modi mentioned after receiving the award from Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The prime minister thanked the federal government and the individuals of Nigeria for the honour.
This was the seventeenth such worldwide award conferred on Modi by a rustic.
Modi mentioned the relations between India and Nigeria are primarily based on mutual cooperation, goodwill and respect.
“As two vibrant democracies with dynamic economies, we’ve been working collectively for the well-being of the individuals of each nations,” he mentioned.
Queen Elizabeth is the one international dignitary who was awarded GCON in 1969.
Modi mentioned that in his conferences with the Nigerian management, he mentioned intimately on making mutual cooperation extra robust and broad.
He mentioned that new potentialities have been recognized within the financial system, vitality, agriculture, safety, fintech, small and medium-scale enterprise and cultural sectors.
Modi mentioned Nigeria has a really huge and optimistic function in Africa and shut cooperation with Africa has been a excessive precedence for India.
“India and Nigeria will transfer ahead collectively for the prosperity of the individuals of each nations and your complete African continent. We’ll give significance to the pursuits and priorities of the World South, working in shut coordination,” he mentioned.
Modi is in Nigeria on the primary leg of his three-nation go to on the invitation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This go to is the primary by an Indian prime minister to Nigeria in 17 years.
On his arrival in Nigeria on Sunday, Prime Minister Modi was warmly welcomed by Minister for Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who offered him with the ‘Key to the Metropolis’ of Abuja.
“The important thing symbolises the belief and honour bestowed on the prime minister by the individuals of Nigeria,” the Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) mentioned in a submit on X.
From Abuja, Modi will journey to Brazil to attend the G20 summit. His final vacation spot shall be Guyana.
