The High Commissioner of India to Nigeria, Shri Balasubramanian, announced on Monday that India has trained no fewer than 27,500 Nigerian professionals in the past 45 years through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme.
The announcement was made during the 2024 ITEC Day reception held at the Indian High Commission in Abuja.
Established by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, ITEC is a capacity-building initiative that has provided training to over 200,000 officials from more than 160 countries in various fields, both civilian and defence, free of charge.
Balasubramanian noted that cooperation with Nigeria began in 1979 following a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigerian government and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.
Since then, India has consistently trained about 500 Nigerians annually.
“With Nigeria, we started this cooperation in 1979 after we had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigerian government and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, as it is called today.
“We are very happy to have a large number of Nigerian friends amongst us. As I told you, in 1979, we started this program. On average, we train about 500 Nigerian friends every year in India. You can calculate the number from 1979 onwards.
“So that is the number of people whom we have been able to be part of their journey in the development of their career and their contribution to Nigeria.”
He noted that this year alone, specialised courses had been offered, including training for 28 Nigerian law enforcement officers in January, and ongoing programmes in digital health and space technology.
“For example, this year alone, we had a specialised course for 28 law enforcement officers from Nigeria who went to India in January to undergo training.
“Currently, there is a group of people from Nigeria on digital health. We also have planned courses on space. We have planned courses in other areas,” he said.
The High Commissioner encouraged Nigerians to take full advantage of these opportunities to enhance their professional skills and contribute to Nigeria’s development upon their return.
In a statement, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Dunoma Ahmed, represented by the Director of Asia and Pacific, MFA, Amb. Misitura Mohammed expressed gratitude for India’s commitment to skill development in Nigeria.
Ahmed described the ITEC programme as a vital component in advancing Nigeria’s capabilities in sectors such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure, underscoring its role in fostering strong bilateral relations and South-South collaboration.
“ITEC Programme has empowered Nigerians of various categories with skills and knowledge enabling them to contribute more effectively to our nation’s development,” the Permanent Secretary said.
