Tinubu’s visit: A multi-dimensional agenda for Nigeria–Türkiye relations

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to Türkiye on January 26 marks a new phase in relations between Ankara and Abuja, reflecting a shared intent to deepen cooperation across security, diplomacy and economic engagement.

Covering areas ranging from defence to energy, trade, education and aviation, the visit involves high-level political talks and the signing of memoranda of understanding across several fields.

Ahead of the visit, diplomatic engagement intensified, with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar holding talks with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan on Monday.

The presence of senior officials responsible for foreign policy, defence, internal security and intelligence in President Tinubu’s delegation underscores that the trip is not merely symbolic.

Instead, it points to a concrete agenda centred on practical cooperation, with security coordination emerging as a central pillar.

The visit reflects efforts to elevate the momentum gained in Türkiye–Nigeria relations in recent years onto a more institutionalised and multi-dimensional footing. This broader recalibration is also openly acknowledged on the Nigerian side.

AlKasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said President Tinubu’s visit reflects Abuja’s deliberate effort to broaden its strategic partnerships beyond dependency-driven relationships.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visit to Türkiye comes as Nigeria broadens its strategic partnerships beyond dependency-driven relationships. Türkiye stands out as an industrialised middle power with strategic autonomy—neither captive to blocs nor inward-looking,” Abdulkadir told TRT Afrika.

He added that Türkiye’s profile closely aligns with Nigeria’s current development and security priorities.

“For Nigeria, Türkiye offers a rare combination: a strong manufacturing base aligned with our industrial ambitions, credible security capabilities, and an independent diplomatic posture. At a time when Nigeria is prioritising industrialisation, infrastructure delivery and security stabilisation, Türkiye stands out as a partner that translates agreements into implementation, signalling a shift from transactional engagement to structured, long-term cooperation,” he said.

Multilateral diplomacy

Türkiye and Nigeria have long shared common ground on multilateral platforms such as the D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Türkiye’s G20 membership and extensive diplomatic outreach, combined with Nigeria’s central role within ECOWAS and its political weight as Africa’s most populous country, position the two as complementary actors in international affairs.

Ankara’s emphasis on sovereignty and its “win-win” approach in its relations with African countries offers Abuja a more flexible diplomatic space as Nigeria remains cautious in the face of Western-centric cooperation models.

This convergence is also visible in debates on global governance reform. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s long-standing call that “the world is bigger than five” aligns with Nigeria’s demand for stronger African representation on the UN Security Council, reinforcing shared priorities rooted in multilateralism and institutional reform.

Security and defence: sharing experience

Security remains one of the most critical dimensions of Türkiye–Nigeria relations. Nigeria continues to face serious challenges from terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP, kidnappings for ransom by armed gangs locally known as ‘‘bandits’’ and frequent clashes between farmers and herders.

“Türkiye has developed indigenous defence capabilities and counterterrorism experience suited to asymmetric threats, making security cooperation practical rather than theoretical,” Abdulkadir emphasised.

Against this backdrop, Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts intersect with Türkiye’s decades-long experience in combating terrorism and its expanding defence industry.

“Türkiye’s success in building competitive manufacturing ecosystems—from defence industries to construction materials and machinery—aligns directly with Nigeria’s industrial ambitions, with Turkish firms able to deliver at scale and with speed,” he added.

The induction of T-129 ATAK helicopters, unmanned aerial systems and armoured vehicles underscores the tangible outcomes of cooperation, which also extends to maritime security through the modernisation of Nigeria’s naval flagship, NNS ARADU, in Türkiye.

Türkiye’s counterterrorism experience is thus seen in Nigeria not only as a military asset, but also as an institutional and operational reference point.

Gaza and Somalia: converging foreign policy reflexes

Ankara and Abuja display largely converging foreign policy reflexes centred on sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law.

Regarding Israel’s prolonged occupation of Palestinian territories and its ongoing genocidal war on Gaza, Türkiye and Nigeria condemn attacks on civilians, forced displacement and violations of international law.

This shared stance extends to Somalia, where both reject Israel’s recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland, warning it undermines sovereignty and risks instability in the Horn of Africa.

Elaborating on this shared outlook, Abdulkadir said both countries approach regional and global crises through a similar legal and institutional lens.

“Nigeria and Türkiye share a conservative reading of the international order, grounded in respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law. This common ground shapes how both countries act multilaterally.

On Gaza, both emphasise civilian protection, humanitarian access and the primacy of international law over power politics. On Somalia, the focus is on strengthening legitimate state institutions rather than outsourcing sovereignty.

This shared outlook allows Nigeria and Türkiye to coordinate positions on global platforms with credibility—advocating reform, restraint and lawful conduct without ideological posturing,” he said.

Economic deepening and investment potential

Economic ties form the material foundation of the Türkiye–Nigeria strategic partnership. Highlighting the economic logic behind closer ties, Abdulkadir pointed to Türkiye’s unique positioning within global trade and geopolitics.

“Türkiye is a gateway economy linking Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa, and this positioning matters for Nigerian exporters and manufacturers. At the same time, Türkiye’s ability to engage globally while preserving policy independence resonates strongly with Nigeria’s own pursuit of strategic autonomy—it is partnership without tutelage,” he said.

Although current trade volumes remain below potential, both sides regard the medium-term target of reaching $5 billion as realistic.

As Turkish companies expand their presence in Nigeria’s infrastructure, industrial and consumer sectors, Nigeria continues to serve as a strategic gateway for Türkiye into West African markets.

Trade between the two countries reached $688.4 million in the first eleven months of 2025, reflecting a continued upward trajectory.

More than 50 Turkish companies currently operate in Nigeria, with total investments estimated at around $400 million.

In parallel, Turkish contractors have significantly increased their footprint in recent years, with the total value of projects undertaken in Nigeria reaching approximately $3 billion.

A business forum to be held on Wednesday during the visit will further underline efforts to anchor political engagement in stronger economic cooperation. With total bilateral trade standing at around $2 billion and energy trade increasingly factored in, Nigeria is expected to emerge as Türkiye’s largest trading partner in Africa in 2025.

Energy cooperation adds a strategic layer to economic relations. LNG imports from Nigeria play a critical role in Türkiye’s energy supply security and align with Ankara’s broader objective of diversifying energy sources, positioning energy trade as both an economic and geostrategic pillar of the partnership.

Education and cultural interaction

The human dimension of Türkiye–Nigeria relations remains a key factor in sustaining a long-term partnership.

Reflecting on the role of education and culture, Abdulkadir also drew on his own experience of studying in Türkiye.

“Having studied in Türkiye and speaking some Turkish, I have seen first-hand how education and culture deepen diplomacy beyond formal agreements. Türkiye’s universities, humanitarian institutions and cultural openness create durable human connections. These people-to-people ties reinforce my belief that Nigeria–Türkiye relations are not episodic, but generational,” he said.

Educational and cultural ties remain central to Türkiye–Nigeria relations. Under the Türkiye Scholarships programme, Nigerian students have received scholarships since 1992, with more than 300 currently studying in Türkiye as of 2022—making Nigeria the second-largest source of African students after Egypt. 

Beyond scholarship holders, more than 3,000 Nigerian students are enrolled in Turkish universities, often seen as future bridges between the two societies.

People-to-people exchange is further supported by air connectivity, with Turkish Airlines operating direct flights from Istanbul to Abuja and Lagos, including around four weekly services on the Abuja–Istanbul route, ensuring sustained access to Türkiye’s global network.

Cultural engagement is reinforced by the Yunus Emre Institute in Abuja through Turkish language education and cultural activities, while the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation has provided clean water to over one million people, carried out cataract surgeries, organised sacrificial aid programmes and offered education scholarships, strengthening the humanitarian dimension of bilateral relations.

Looking ahead

President Tinubu’s visit to Ankara represents a new milestone in Türkiye–Nigeria relations. The participation of ministers responsible for foreign affairs, defence, internal security, trade and investment signals an intention to deepen cooperation beyond leader-level diplomacy and into more institutional domains.

Türkiye–Nigeria ties rest on a deep historical background, stretching from early contacts between the Ottoman Empire and the Kanem-Bornu polity in the 16th century to the Shitta-Bey Mosque in Lagos and the opening of Türkiye’s embassy in 1962.

 Tinubu’s visit to Ankara with a broad ministerial delegation points to a shared desire to elevate this legacy into a more structured and strategic partnership for the years ahead.