Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged his country’s support for Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, declaring Türkiye’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with Nigeria in military training and intelligence sharing.
He made this known while speaking at a joint press conference with President Bola Tinubu during the Nigerian leader’s official visit to Ankara.
Erdogan noted that under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria is taking decisive actions to confront terrorism, assuring that Türkiye stands firmly with the Nigerian people in addressing the challenge.
According to presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the Turkish leader emphasised his country’s willingness to contribute its expertise to Nigeria’s security efforts.
“We are ready to share Türkiye’s significant experience in counterterrorism,” Erdogan was quoted as saying.
The Turkish president further warned that terrorist groups, especially those operating across Africa’s Sahel region, continue to threaten the stability of the continent. He said closer collaboration between countries remains crucial in tackling the growing menace.
During the visit, Nigerian officials also engaged with leading firms in Türkiye’s defence industry, expressing optimism that the discussions would yield positive outcomes. Erdogan confirmed that both sides reviewed “opportunities for closer cooperation” in the defence sector.
On the economic front, Erdogan said Nigeria and Türkiye reaffirmed their shared goal of achieving a $5 billion trade volume, while exploring new measures to strengthen bilateral economic relations. He explained that discussions focused on concrete steps required to meet the target and welcomed the establishment of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) as a framework to drive cooperation.
According to Erdogan, President Tinubu’s visit demonstrated Nigeria’s strong political commitment to deepening economic ties. He added that Türkiye supports investments in Nigeria and is open to collaboration between Turkish Petroleum Corporation, BOTAS, and Nigerian energy companies, highlighting Nigeria’s vast potential as Africa’s largest oil and gas producer.
Erdogan stated that Nigeria plays a critical role in reshaping Africa’s energy economy and that Türkiye is keen to expand investment and trade partnerships in the sector.
Nigeria has been battling insurgency for more than 12 years, with thousands of lives lost and many more displaced.
President Tinubu departed Abuja on Monday for the state visit, which is aimed at strengthening the “existing cordial relations between the two countries and explore further areas of cooperation in security, education, social development, innovation, and aviation”.
What you should know
Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly insurgency and terrorism, have remained a major concern for over a decade, prompting increased international engagement.
Türkiye has emerged as an important strategic partner for Nigeria, offering cooperation in defence, intelligence, and military training. Beyond security, both countries are pushing to expand economic ties, with a shared target of $5 billion in trade volume.
The establishment of JETCO signals a structured approach to boosting trade and investment, especially in energy, where Nigeria’s oil and gas potential positions it as a key player in Africa’s economic future.
