President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completing 25 years in public leadership, describing the milestone as an uncommon achievement in a democracy.
Tinubu, in a congratulatory message posted on his official X handle on Wednesday, said Modi’s uninterrupted leadership reflected the sustained confidence of the Indian people in his leadership.
Modi first became Chief Minister of Gujarat 25 years ago and served in the position for more than 12 years before moving to the national stage as India’s Prime Minister in 2014.
“A quarter-century of unbroken leadership is a rare achievement in any democracy. In the world’s most populous nation, it is a powerful testament to the enduring confidence the Indian people have placed in him,” Tinubu said.
The Nigerian President commended Modi for what he described as his commitment to development, citing progress in infrastructure, digital public services, financial inclusion and innovation during his years in office.
Tinubu said Modi’s transformation of Gujarat and his leadership of India’s emergence as one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies had provided an example for countries across the Global South.
He also highlighted the longstanding relations between Nigeria and India, recalling Modi’s state visit to Abuja in November 2024, during which Nigeria conferred on him the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
According to Tinubu, the visit gave fresh impetus to bilateral cooperation in areas including trade and investment, energy, defence and security, health, education and technology.
He said Nigeria and India, as democracies and influential members of the Global South, shared a commitment to promoting a more equitable, inclusive and representative international order.
The President expressed optimism that bilateral relations between Nigeria and India would continue to expand under Modi’s leadership.
“On behalf of the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and on my own behalf, I extend warm and fraternal congratulations to His Excellency Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, on a truly historic milestone,” he said.
