Manmohan Singh heads for Nigeria

With the country's energy security on top of his mind, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh leaves for a two-nation Africa tour that starts with Nigeria.

With the country's energy security on top of his mind, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday left for a two-nation Africa tour that starts with Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer, and ends in South Africa where he will attend the tri-nation IBSA summit.

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Manmohan Singh will arrive in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, in the evening and hold talks with Nigerian President Umar Yar'Adua on Monday on expanding political and economic ties between the two countries.

New exploration and production rights in at least one oil block and several economic agreements are expected to be signed during the prime minister's visit - the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister in 45 years.

Manmohan Singh heads to Pretoria on Tuesday evening to attend the second summit of IBSA, comprising India, Brazil and South Africa, the three leading economies of Asia, Latin America and Africa.