President Bola Tinubu has arrived back in Nigeria following the conclusion of his official visit to the Republic of Türkiye.
The President landed in the country at about 8:55 p.m. and was welcomed by top government officials on arrival.
Tinubu had left Abuja on January 26, 2026, on the state visit aimed at deepening diplomatic and economic relations between Nigeria and Türkiye.
The trip built on earlier engagements between both countries, following the official visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Nigeria from October 19 to 20, 2021, which helped consolidate ties between Abuja and Ankara.
During the multi-day engagement in Türkiye, President Tinubu and President Erdoğan signed nine Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering key sectors of cooperation.
A major highlight of the agreements was the shared ambition to increase bilateral trade volume between both countries from about $2 billion to $5 billion.
“We also discussed opportunities to support our investments in Nigeria. We believe that the joint Economy and Trade Committee, which we agreed to establish today, will be instrumental in this regard,” Tinubu said during a joint briefing with Erdogan.
Beyond trade expansion, the agreements reached during the visit extended to energy collaboration, media partnerships, higher education, and Halal Quality Infrastructure, a move expected to enhance the global competitiveness of Nigerian agricultural exports.
President Erdoğan, on his part, reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, indicating his country’s readiness to strengthen cooperation in military training and intelligence sharing.
Speaking at a joint press conference, the Turkish leader acknowledged Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity, noting that under Tinubu’s leadership, concrete steps were being taken against terrorist threats.
“We are ready to share Türkiye’s significant experience in counterterrorism,” presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, quoted the Turkish president as saying.
Erdoğan also warned that terrorist groups, particularly those operating across Africa’s Sahel region, continue to pose serious risks to regional and continental stability.
During the visit, Nigerian government officials held strategic discussions with leading Turkish defence industry companies and expressed optimism that the engagements would translate into tangible outcomes for Nigeria’s security architecture.
Nigeria currently exports crude oil and agricultural produce to Türkiye, while Türkiye supplies Nigeria with aircraft, iron and steel products, chemicals, and helicopters, underscoring the growing economic interdependence between both nations.
What you should know
President Tinubu’s visit to Türkiye reflects Nigeria’s broader push to strengthen strategic international partnerships focused on trade expansion, security cooperation and investment inflows.
The signing of multiple MoUs signals intent on both sides to move beyond diplomatic ties toward measurable economic growth, particularly through increased trade volume and sector-specific collaboration. Türkiye’s pledge to support Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts also comes at a time of heightened security challenges in the Sahel region.
If effectively implemented, the agreements reached could boost Nigeria’s export capacity, enhance defence cooperation, and deepen long-term bilateral relations between the two countries.
