Tinubu, Erdogan Deepen Nigeria–Türkiye Ties During State Visit

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday held high-level talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a state visit to the Republic of Türkiye, as both leaders moved to strengthen bilateral relations between Nigeria and Türkiye across key sectors including trade, defence, energy and infrastructure.

The meeting, held at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, focused on expanding economic cooperation, enhancing military collaboration and boosting investment flows between the two countries. President Tinubu described Türkiye as a strategic partner, noting that Nigeria was keen to build mutually beneficial partnerships that would accelerate development and create opportunities for its growing population.

According to a statement from the Nigerian delegation, the discussions centred on increasing trade volume, promoting direct investment, and exploring joint ventures in construction, power generation, agriculture and technology. Both leaders also exchanged views on regional and global security challenges, reaffirming their commitment to peace, stability and multilateral cooperation.

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President Tinubu said Nigeria remained open to credible investors and praised Turkish companies already operating in the country for their contributions to infrastructure development and job creation. He stressed that his administration’s economic reforms were designed to improve the business environment and attract long-term foreign investment.

President Erdogan, in his remarks, welcomed the Nigerian leader and reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening ties with Africa’s largest economy. He described Nigeria as a key partner in West Africa and pledged continued Turkish support in areas such as defence capacity building, education, healthcare and humanitarian assistance.

The Turkish leader also expressed readiness to expand defence and security cooperation, particularly in training, intelligence sharing and counterterrorism, noting Nigeria’s strategic importance in regional security efforts.

The bilateral talks were followed by the signing of memoranda of understanding covering defence cooperation, investment promotion, energy development and technical exchange. Officials from both countries said the agreements were expected to provide a framework for deeper engagement and practical collaboration.

President Tinubu’s state visit also featured engagements with Turkish business leaders, where he outlined Nigeria’s economic priorities and encouraged increased private-sector participation in critical sectors. He highlighted opportunities in manufacturing, solid minerals, agriculture value chains and renewable energy.

Members of the Nigerian delegation included senior government officials and advisers, while the Turkish side was represented by top cabinet members and industry leaders. The visit underscores Nigeria’s renewed foreign policy focus on economic diplomacy and strategic partnerships.