President Tinubu Beats A New Path In Nigeria Türkiye Partnership Says Presidential Spokesperson, Sunday Dare

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will on Monday depart Abuja for a two-day official visit to the Republic of Türkiye, a trip Presidential Spokesperson, Sunday Dare, says signals a decisive shift in Nigeria’s foreign partnerships toward strategic, results-driven cooperation.

According to Dare, the visit, which will focus on military cooperation and trade partnerships, reflects Nigeria’s broader recalibration toward nations with proven industrial strength, security capacity and pragmatic diplomacy. He described Türkiye as a natural fit for Nigeria’s reform agenda, noting its unique geopolitical position and growing influence across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

“President Tinubu is engaging partners that build systems, not just sell products,” Dare said, adding that the visit builds on more than six decades of diplomatic relations since Türkiye established a diplomatic presence in Nigeria in 1962.

Türkiye’s strategic geography, straddling Europe and Asia and controlling key maritime routes linking the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, was identified as a major advantage for Nigeria’s ambition to expand trade and access global markets. Istanbul, Dare noted, has increasingly become a gateway for Nigerian exporters, investors and logistics operators seeking efficient routes into Europe and Asia.

The Presidency highlighted four areas driving Nigeria’s growing alignment with Türkiye: industrial capability, defence and security expertise, trade dynamism and geopolitical balance. Türkiye’s strength in construction, defence manufacturing, energy equipment and rail systems aligns with Nigeria’s push for industrialisation and infrastructure development. Its defence sector, known for cost-effective and battle-tested platforms, is also seen as critical to Nigeria’s efforts to tackle insurgency, banditry and transnational crime.

Bilateral trade between both countries has already exceeded one billion dollars annually, with peaks close to 2.7 billion dollars. In 2024 alone, Turkish exports to Nigeria were estimated at about 721 million dollars, while Nigerian exports to Türkiye stood at roughly 505 million dollars. Both governments have set a target of expanding trade volume to five billion dollars.

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Dare also pointed to strong Turkish investments in Nigeria, including healthcare facilities, educational institutions, manufacturing plants and defence electronics offices, as evidence that the partnership has moved beyond diplomacy into tangible economic impact.

Placing the visit in a wider reform context, the spokesperson said President Tinubu’s economic and security reforms mirror Türkiye’s own historical path of institutional rebuilding and industrial revival. He stressed that the visit is about strategic alignment, not symbolism.

“Nigeria is positioning itself as a regional manufacturing and logistics hub,” Dare said. “Partnering Türkiye is not coincidence; it is logic.”

He added that the visit underscores Nigeria’s intention to deepen partnerships that support long-term growth, security and global competitiveness.