The Indian Government says it is providing 3.5 million dollars as capacity building assistance to train Nigerian government officials under its India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme.
Indian High Commissioner, Nagabhushana Reddy, at an event to mark the ITEC Day in Abuja on Wednesday, said that the fund would cover 310 civilian and 120 defence training programmes between 2017 and 2018.
The Indian government had in 2017 announced 50 extra slots be given to Nigeria to extend the participation of its officials.
Reddy, however, added that an additional 1.2 million dollars was made available for 55 training programmes offered in 2017.
“The key objective of this development partnership is to aid and assist Nigeria in its national efforts to improve capacity building and bring about technological innovations.
“We are hopeful of training 10 rural women to become solar engineers referred to as `solar mamas’; they will be trained in fabrication, repair and maintenance of solar lanterns and household lightening systems,” he said.
He further said that 100 million dollars had been made available to Nigeria in 2017 as part of India’s 10 billion-dollar concessional loans to African countries for the implementation of projects of their national priority.
“I am a happy to mention that India extended 100 million dollars to Nigeria in 2017 which the Federal Government decided to utilise for projects in power sector including solar energy and rural electrification in three states: Kaduna, Cross River and Enugu.”
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Khadija Ibrahim, commended the Indian government in enhancing relations between both countries through the programme.
Ibrahim who noted that the programme which had benefitted hundreds of Nigerians in various sectors, said the training assistance showed India’s determination to strengthen south-south cooperation with developing nations.
“I would like to encourage the alumni of the ITEC programme to put to good use the training received from the various institutions attended in India.
“The knowledge acquired stands you in good stead in the pursuit of your various careers.”
The ITEC programme instituted in Sept. 1964 is a flagship programme of the Indian government’s capacity building efforts.
ITEC Day has also been observed every year on Sept. 15 or during the course of the year.
