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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has pledged Türkiye’s support for Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, signaling deeper cooperation in military training, intelligence sharing, and defense industry collaboration during talks with President Bola Tinubu in Ankara.
Erdoğan made the commitment on Tuesday during a joint press conference with Tinubu, who is on an official state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries.
The Turkish leader said Nigeria, under Tinubu’s leadership, is taking decisive steps to address insecurity and that Ankara stands firmly with Abuja in its counterterrorism efforts.
“We are ready to share Türkiye’s significant experience in counterterrorism,” Erdoğan said, according to a statement released by Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
Erdoğan noted that terrorist organizations — particularly those operating across Africa’s Sahel region — pose a growing threat to regional stability, underscoring the need for expanded international cooperation.
Nigeria has been battling insurgent violence for more than a decade, with armed groups operating mainly in the northeast and northwest, leaving thousands dead and millions displaced, according to data from the United Nations and humanitarian agencies.
Beyond political assurances, Nigerian officials held meetings with leading Turkish defense companies during the visit, focusing on military hardware, training programs, and intelligence capabilities.
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Erdoğan said both sides reviewed “opportunities for closer cooperation” in the defense sector and expressed optimism that the discussions would yield positive outcomes.
Türkiye has emerged as a major exporter of defense technology in recent years, supplying drones, armored vehicles, and surveillance systems to several African countries, according to Reuters.
Economic ties also featured prominently in the talks. Erdoğan said both leaders reaffirmed their $5 billion bilateral trade volume target and explored new measures to strengthen commercial relations.
He said the establishment of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) was welcomed as a mechanism to support trade expansion and investment flows.
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According to Erdoğan, Tinubu’s visit demonstrated Nigeria’s strong political will to deepen economic cooperation with Türkiye.
“Türkiye supports investments in Nigeria and welcomes cooperation between Turkish Petroleum Corporation, BOTAS, and Nigerian energy companies,” Erdoğan said.
He described Nigeria as a key player in reshaping Africa’s energy landscape, noting its potential as the continent’s largest oil and gas producer.
President Tinubu departed Abuja on Monday for the state visit, which Nigerian officials said was designed to strengthen “existing cordial relations” while exploring new areas of cooperation.
Those areas include security, education, social development, innovation, aviation, and energy, according to the Nigerian presidency.
