Vadodara: India and Nigeria must lead the way in ensuring that the global south is no longer just a participant but a driver of this transformation. This is what former foreign minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Geoffrey Onyeama said here on Monday.He visited the campuses of both M S University and the School of International Studies at the Central University of Gujarat (CUG). At CUG’s campus in Kundhela, he delivered a lecture on the theme – ‘India–Nigeria Relations @2025′.In his speech, Onyeama reflected on how India played a central role in Nigeria’s foreign policy during his tenure and how both countries continue to work closely in areas such as trade, democracy, defence, cultural exchange, and people-to-people ties. Drawing from his experience in international diplomacy and development, including his tenure at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Onyeama shared the historical, political, and economic ties between India and Nigeria, and their growing role in the global south.He emphasised the strategic transition of the global economy from traditional manufacturing and trade to a knowledge-based economy, noting that intellectual property, innovation, and intangible assets now form the backbone of real economic power.