The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abhishek Singh, has pledged to deepen trade ties between India and Nigeria during his diplomatic tenure.

Singh made this known during a visit to African Natural Resources and Mines Limited (ANRML), a subsidiary of African Industries Group (AIG), located in Gujeni Village, Kagarko LGA of Kaduna State.

"This particular plant situated at Gujeni Village, Kagarko LGA, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria Expressway, Kaduna state has invested $600 million in Nigeria and is one of the largest enterprises run by Indian industrialists who have been in Nigeria for five decades.

"I express my support to all the Indians working here and urge AIG to continue their efforts in the important mining sector, which contributes to further strengthening India-Nigeria trade relations," he said.

The envoy also toured AIG's Abuja Steel Mills, Exploration Unit, and solar power facilities in Sabon-Wuse, Niger State. During the visit, he commended the scale of operations, particularly the solar plant powering the steel facility, and reassured Indian professionals of his support.

He urged them to sustain efforts in advancing bilateral trade, especially within the steel sector.

In his response, the Group Managing Director of AIG, Alok Gupta, appreciated the High Commissioner's visit, noting that the Nigerian government has consistently supported the company through policies and regulatory frameworks.

To underscore this support, Gupta referenced a series of high-level engagements in recent years. He stated: "In 2024, the Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, visited ANRML and applauded the $600 million investment and affirmed ANRML's role in President Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda. Also, the same year, the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, during his visit, commended ANRML as a model for value addition and declared it a benchmark for the Nigerian mining sector.

Similarly, the Minister of Industry (2024), Doris Uzoka-Anite, hailed ANRML as a cornerstone of Nigeria's quest for sustainable economic prosperity and alignment with Nigeria's Automotive Industry Plan."

Gupta further described ANRML as one of Nigeria's largest non-oil foreign direct investments, with over $600 million committed to an integrated iron ore mining and processing facility. The project includes beneficiation, pelletising, and a Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) plant with waste heat recovery systems, supported by equipment sourced from four continents.

He added that the company provides over 4,000 direct and indirect jobs, with a mining capacity exceeding five million tonnes annually and NI 43-101 certified iron ore resources.

Gupta said: "Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) produced is a direct, sustainable substitute for ferrous scrap — the current raw material for steel production in Nigeria. By supplying DRI domestically, we reduce Nigeria's dependence on imported steel, save hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign exchange, and progressively elevate its status as a major global producer of crude steel.

Again, we have an ultra-modern ISO/IEC 17025 Canadian Association of Laboratory Accreditation (CALA) accredited mineral analysis laboratory in Niger State, promoting local value addition."

He noted that ANRML represents a significant milestone in AIG's over five-decade presence in Nigeria, operating a fully integrated value chain from iron ore extraction to the production of high-grade DRI for steel manufacturing.