Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s prominence internationally is evidenced by bestowing of as many as 17 highest honours by countries across the globe. A day after Dominica announced conferring of its highest civilian honour, Nigeria announced of conferring the Grand Commander Of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on Indian PM Narendra.
The significance of GCON Award is Nigeria has awarded this top award in 1969 to Queen Elizabeth. PM Modi will be the 2nd foreign dignitary to be bestowed this top award of Nigeria.
WHY NIGERIA AWARDED GCON?
As per foreign policy experts analysis, in the last decade, India has shed its image of being a “perpetual naysayer” in global politics, and the world now sees it as a nation that is more than willing to contribute to global governance. The outreach to friendly nations under the Modi government is well evidenced by the following agreements India had with Nigeria during the once-a-lifetime pandemic – COVID-19.
- SEPTEMBER 2020: Both countries have approved an Air Transport/Bubble arrangement, which meant allowing the respective countries ship passengers back and forth from India. This arrangement goes beyond national carriers.
- 17 JULY 2020: India donated 7.8 tons-consignment of essential medicines, including HCQS and antibiotics, to Nigeria.
- AUGUST 13, 2020: An MoU on cooperation in outer space was signed between India and Nigeria. The MoU envisages cooperation in applications in agriculture, environment and mining, micro and mini satellites, and capacity building.
- 2 MARCH 2021: India supplied 3.92 million doses of Covishield vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII), under the Covax scheme of GAVI to Nigeria.
- 26 MARCH 2021: India gifted 100,000 doses of Covishield vaccines to Nigeria.
- JANURAY 2022: India exported additional 5.742 million doses of Covishield vaccines to Nigeria under the Covax scheme.
- SEPTEMBER 2022: A joint venture partnership arrangement between Bio vaccine Nigeria limited and Serum Institute of India (SII) was signed for the production of vaccines in Nigeria.
- AUGUST 2022: Prior to this agreement, Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL)’s oral rotavirus vaccine Rotavac has been introduced in Nigeria for immunization of children from the life-threatening diarrhoeal disease.
Besides the above, Nigeria Education Ministry and Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) signed the eVBAB MoU in SEP 2021.
- Under this MoU, India has offered free tele-education to 15000 students and free tele-medicine to 1000 doctors and paramedics.
- For Academic year 2022, iLearn portal was opened for Nigerian students for online courses and around 11500 students applied for scholarships.
- Total 4830 Nigerian students got admitted in various Universities in India.
- In 2023 alone, around 450 Nigerian students got admitted in various Universities in India.
