India is looking to bring Nigerian crude back into its supply chain as New Delhi and Abuja seek to revive a trade relationship that has lost more than half its value in just three years.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Nigeria to resume crude oil purchases during a meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, according to a statement issued Monday, Sept. 14, by Stanley Nkwocha, senior special assistant to Nigeria’s president on media and communications.

The push could give Nigeria a fresh route to one of its major Asian trading partners while supporting efforts to restore bilateral commerce to its previous record of almost $15 billion.

Trade drops to $7.13 billion

Trade between India and Nigeria fell from $14.95 billion in 2021-22 to $7.13 billion in 2024-25, with weaker Indian imports of Nigerian crude among the major contributors to the decline.

Modi said renewed crude purchases and deeper energy cooperation could help return bilateral trade to its previous peak. Shettima said Nigeria would consider the request as part of broader efforts to attract investment and develop strategic partnerships that can expand the country’s productive capacity.

For Nigeria, stronger crude exports to India come as oil production shows signs of recovery after years of disruption caused by crude theft and attacks on oil infrastructure. Production reached a low in 2022, weighing on government revenue and foreign-currency inflows.

Nigeria’s Oil Output Is Recovering

Operating conditions have since improved. Nigeria produced 1.56 million barrels of oil per day in June 2026, the country’s highest production level since April 2020.

That recovery could strengthen Abuja’s position as it seeks to rebuild energy and trade links with India, one of its long-standing commercial and diplomatic partners.

India has also supported Nigeria through concessional loans and training programs aimed at strengthening local capacity. In 2023, India ranked among Nigeria’s five largest trading partners.

Restoring crude flows could therefore become a key part of a broader effort by both countries to rebuild a trade relationship that once approached $15 billion.