Türkiye has reaffirmed its commitment to work closely with Nigeria to combat terrorism while pushing to grow bilateral trade between both countries to $5 billion, signalling a deepening of security and economic cooperation.
The assurance was given in Ankara during a joint press briefing held as part of Nigeria’s state visit to Türkiye, where both countries reviewed their diplomatic, economic and security relations and agreed to expand collaboration across critical sectors.
As part of the renewed engagement, both governments signed nine cooperation agreements covering areas such as defence, military training, trade, education, media, diaspora policy, social development and institutional capacity building. The agreements are aimed at strengthening security coordination, expanding investment flows and creating a more structured framework for long-term economic partnership.
Türkiye said the establishment of a Joint Economy and Trade Committee would play a key role in unlocking new opportunities for Turkish investments in Nigeria, particularly in sectors with strong growth potential. The committee is expected to support investment expansion and help both countries meet their $5 billion trade target, with implications for small and medium-sized businesses operating across manufacturing, energy, services and trade.
The discussions during the visit also focused on energy cooperation, investment promotion, education and defence industry partnerships. Türkiye expressed optimism that collaboration between its national energy companies and Nigerian counterparts would yield tangible outcomes, especially as Nigeria continues to restructure its economy.
On regional security, Türkiye pledged support for Nigeria’s efforts to address terrorism and instability, particularly within the Sahel region. It highlighted its experience in tackling insurgency and confirmed readiness to cooperate more closely on military training, intelligence sharing and defence industry engagement. Meetings between Nigerian officials and Turkish defence firms were expected to further strengthen this cooperation.
Nigeria, on its part, welcomed Türkiye’s willingness to collaborate on promoting global peace, stability and shared prosperity. The Nigerian delegation emphasised the importance of building an inclusive economy that brings vulnerable populations into productive economic activity, while creating opportunities for trade, business growth and skills development.
The discussions also touched on Nigeria’s role in promoting peace and stability across Africa despite security challenges in its immediate region. Nigeria reiterated its commitment to regional stability and cooperation against terrorism and other destabilising forces.
At the conclusion of the bilateral engagements, the two countries formally exchanged the signed agreements, marking a significant step in expanding diplomatic, economic and security ties. The renewed cooperation is expected to support trade growth, strengthen security efforts and create a more enabling environment for enterprises and investors operating between both countries.
