Nigeria and Türkiye are moving to strengthen their strategic partnership, with defence cooperation, investment, technology transfer and a $5 billion bilateral trade target emerging as key priorities following President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Ankara in January.
Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, disclosed this on Monday, describing Tinubu’s meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a significant milestone that had opened a new chapter in relations between the two countries.
Poroy said both countries were committed to transforming their longstanding diplomatic ties into practical cooperation that would deliver measurable economic and security benefits.
He identified nine strategic agreements signed during Tinubu’s visit as the foundation for expanding bilateral relations, adding that both governments were working to increase trade from approximately $2 billion to $5 billion.
A major component of the renewed partnership is defence and security cooperation, particularly Nigeria’s efforts to tackle terrorism, banditry and other security challenges.
The ambassador said Türkiye was prepared to support Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations through military equipment, specialised training and technical assistance.
He disclosed that the cooperation included the supply of attack helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), as well as expanded training programmes for Nigerian Special Forces personnel.
According to him, discussions are also underway to establish military training facilities in Nigeria to strengthen local capacity and promote institutional cooperation between the armed forces of both countries.
Türkiye’s growing defence manufacturing capabilities, particularly in military aviation and unmanned aerial systems, are expected to create opportunities for Nigeria to enhance its security infrastructure and technical expertise.
Beyond defence, both countries are seeking to expand commercial relations through increased trade, investment and private-sector partnerships.
Poroy said measures were being introduced to facilitate visa processes for Nigerian business executives, enabling them to explore opportunities in Türkiye and establish direct business relationships with Turkish investors.
The proposed $5 billion trade target is expected to be supported by a Joint Economic and Trade Committee tasked with identifying investment opportunities, addressing commercial bottlenecks and monitoring progress.
Nigeria’s manufacturing, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, construction and technology sectors were identified as areas with significant potential for Turkish investment.
