India offers between 30 and 40 fully funded scholarships to Nigerian students annually as the two countries seek to deepen cooperation in traditional medicine, research, healthcare and capacity building.
The disclosure was made on Wednesday by India’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Abhishek Singh, at the 11th Ayurveda Day celebration in Abuja.
The event was organised by the High Commission of India in collaboration with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare under the theme, “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow,” and the tagline, “One Health, One Future: Integrating Ayurveda through Science, Evidence, Innovation and Holistic Care.”
Singh said the scholarships, provided through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, cover undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD programmes.
He added that Nigerian practitioners and researchers also have access to training and capacity building opportunities at specialised Indian institutions, including the All India Institute of Ayurveda in New Delhi and the National Institute of Ayurveda in Jaipur.
The envoy said India’s support for Nigeria extended beyond education, stressing that both countries could deepen collaboration in preventive healthcare, nutrition, research and holistic wellbeing.
“For us, Ayurveda Day is much more than merely a celebration of India’s 5,000 year old heritage. It is a vision for global wellness,” Singh said.
He said Ayurveda emphasised prevention, healthy living and balance between the body, mind, lifestyle, diet and nature.
“Why Ayurveda and why Nigeria? India and Nigeria share a deep respect for traditional knowledge. Nigeria has a rich tradition of herbal medicine and traditional healing,” he said.
According to him, the shared heritage between both countries presents an opportunity to strengthen cooperation in traditional and complementary medicine.
Singh also called for faster progress on the proposed health cooperation framework between India and Nigeria, saying stronger institutional collaboration would deepen bilateral healthcare ties.
He disclosed that India was ready to facilitate links between Indian Ayurvedic pharmaceutical companies that meet World Health Organisation Good Manufacturing Practice standards and Nigerian regulatory authorities, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
“This will ensure that quality and affordable traditional medicine products reach those who need them,” he said.
The High Commissioner identified integrative healthcare, evidence based research and innovation, and community wellbeing and sustainable living as key pillars of the 2026 Ayurveda campaign.
Also speaking, the Director of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Kingsley Nnelue, said Nigeria was interested in expanding cooperation with India in traditional and complementary healthcare.
Representing the Minister of State for Health, Nnelue said Nigeria could benefit from India’s experience in healthcare delivery, capacity building, research, innovation, pharmaceuticals and traditional medicine.
“We are very much interested in the commercialisation of medical products. We need to continue to share our research,” he said.
Nnelue stressed that cooperation in traditional medicine must be supported by patient safety, quality assurance, scientific evaluation, professional standards and appropriate regulation.
Also delivering a special lecture, the Director-General of the Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency, Prof. Martins Emeje, emphasised preventive healthcare, early detection and individual responsibility for personal health.
Emeje said traditional medicine should continue to be subjected to research and scientific evaluation while drawing from nature and indigenous knowledge.
The Ayurveda Day programme featured health awareness activities, exhibitions of herbs and medicinal plants, yoga and demonstrations of Ayurvedic therapies, with participants highlighting opportunities for expanded cooperation between Nigeria and India.