Nigeria and Türkiye Bolster Strategic Partnership with Nine Agreements During President Tinubu's State Visit

Historic Visit Strengthens Bilateral Ties

President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria is currently on a state visit to the Republic of Türkiye, aimed at strengthening existing cordial relations and expanding cooperation across strategic sectors. The visit, which commenced on Monday, January 26, 2026, saw President Tinubu arrive in Ankara, the Turkish capital, where he was received by a Turkish government delegation. This diplomatic engagement reciprocates an earlier state visit to Nigeria by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in October 2021.

Nine Agreements Signed, $5 Billion Trade Target Set

A significant outcome of the visit has been the signing of nine agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between Nigeria and Türkiye. These agreements cover a wide array of cooperation areas, including:

• Diaspora Policy
• Media and Communication
• Higher Education
• Halal Accreditation
• Military Cooperation
• Cooperation with Diplomatic Academies
• Education

Furthermore, both nations adopted a Joint Declaration establishing the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO). During discussions, both President Tinubu and President Erdoğan reaffirmed their commitment to achieving an ambitious $5 billion bilateral trade volume target. This target builds on growing economic ties, with bilateral trade exceeding $1 billion in the first 11 months of 2025.

Expanded Cooperation in Key Sectors

The strategic discussions between the two leaders and their respective delegations focused on deepening cooperation in several vital sectors. Türkiye pledged its support for Nigeria's fight against terrorism, offering closer collaboration in military training and intelligence sharing. Other areas of engagement include:

• Security and Defense Industry
• Energy, with a focus on cooperation between Turkish and Nigerian firms
• Scientific Research and Technical Cooperation
• Social Development and Innovation
• Aviation
• Finance and Investment, including the prevention of double taxation and removal of economic barriers

President Tinubu was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN; Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd); and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, among others.

Future Outlook for Nigeria-Türkiye Relations

The state visit underscores the growing importance of the relationship between Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, and Türkiye, a key player bridging Europe and Asia. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were formally established following Nigeria's independence in 1960. This visit is expected to further solidify a multifaceted partnership, paving the way for enhanced collaboration and mutual development in the years to come.