President Bola Tinubu arrived in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, on Tuesday to begin a landmark state visit aimed at strengthening diplomatic, economic and strategic ties between Nigeria and the Republic of Turkey.
The visit focused on deepening the long-standing cordial relationship between both countries while exploring new areas of cooperation to advance a mutually beneficial partnership. During the visit, President Tinubu held high-level talks with his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, alongside other official engagements that culminated in the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding.
Agreements Reached As Nigeria And Turkey Strengthen Bilateral Ties
Trade Expansion And $5 Billion Target
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Türkiye set a target of $5 billion in trade volume with Nigeria, noting that discussions to actualise the goal had already begun. At the time, trade between both countries stood at about $2 billion, with Türkiye exporting aircraft, machinery, iron, steel and chemicals, while Nigeria supplied crude oil and agricultural products.
Both leaders agreed that trade expansion was achievable through structured cooperation and policy alignment.
Establishment Of The Joint Economy And Trade Committee
President Erdogan explained that the creation of a Joint Economy and Trade Committee would provide a framework to expand Turkish investments in Nigeria and accelerate progress toward the $5 billion trade target.
“We believe that the joint Economy and Trade Committee, which we agreed to establish today, will be instrumental in this regard.”
The committee was formally established to coordinate trade policy, investment flows and private-sector engagement.
Investment And Economic Reforms
Discussions reviewed opportunities in trade and investment, with Erdogan praising President Tinubu’s economic reforms and political will, highlighted by the presence of senior Nigerian officials.
“Today, we conducted a comprehensive review of our relations… in the fields of trade, investments, energy, education and defence industry.”
Both sides reaffirmed commitment to encouraging investments and removing barriers to business.
Energy Cooperation
President Erdogan commended Nigeria’s strides in the energy sector and expressed optimism about collaboration between the Turkish Petroleum Corporation and Nigerian institutions.
Energy cooperation was identified as a strategic pillar, with expectations of tangible outcomes from institutional partnerships.
Defence And Counterterrorism Cooperation
Türkiye pledged support for Nigeria’s fight against insurgency, citing shared experiences in combating terrorism, especially in the Sahel region.
“We stand by the friendly people of Nigeria in their fight against terrorism under the leadership of President Tinubu.”
Both countries agreed to deepen cooperation in defence, military training and intelligence sharing.
Military Training, Intelligence And Defence Industry Collaboration
President Erdogan disclosed that discussions covered military training, intelligence cooperation and engagements with Türkiye’s defence industry.
“We stated that we are ready to share our country’s significant experience in combating terrorism.”
Nigeria and Türkiye committed to closer collaboration with defence industry firms and security institutions.
Inclusive Economic Growth And Social Development
President Tinubu emphasised building an inclusive economy, particularly for vulnerable populations, and praised Türkiye’s openness to cooperation.
“How do we build an inclusive economy together? How do we reform the economy and involve vulnerable people?”
Social inclusion and shared prosperity became central themes of the bilateral relationship.
Peace, Stability And Regional Security
Both leaders discussed peace and stability in Africa, with President Tinubu reaffirming Nigeria’s leadership role despite internal security challenges.
“We discussed efforts against terrorism. We discussed how to defeat agents of destabilisation.”
Nigeria and Türkiye aligned on promoting regional stability and peace-building efforts.
Together, these agreements reflected a strengthened partnership and a shared commitment to economic growth, security cooperation and sustainable development between Nigeria and Türkiye.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
