President Bola Tinubu returned to Abuja on Saturday night after a successful state visit to the Republic of Türkiye, during which Nigeria and Türkiye deepened diplomatic, economic, and security ties through high-level engagements and formal agreements.
The presidential aircraft touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at about 8:55 p.m.
Tinubu was received by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; and other senior government officials.
While in Ankara, the President held bilateral talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with both leaders committing to enhanced cooperation in trade, investment, defence, energy and counter-terrorism.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye’s resolve to increase bilateral trade with Nigeria to $5 billion, up from the current estimate of about $2 billion. He said discussions were already underway to achieve the target.
The Turkish leader announced plans to establish a Joint Economy and Trade Committee, which he described as a key platform for unlocking investment opportunities, boosting trade volumes and expanding Turkish business presence in Nigeria.
Erdoğan praised President Tinubu’s economic reform agenda and efforts to attract foreign investment, noting that the size of the Nigerian delegation reflected strong political will to strengthen bilateral relations.
He also welcomed reforms in Nigeria’s energy sector and expressed optimism that cooperation between the Turkish Petroleum Corporation and Nigerian institutions would yield concrete outcomes.
On security, Erdoğan pledged Türkiye’s support for Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, particularly in the Sahel, offering enhanced cooperation in military training, intelligence sharing and defence industry partnerships. In his response, President Tinubu thanked Türkiye for its commitment to partnership in advancing global stability, freedom and shared prosperity. He stressed the importance of building an inclusive economy that brings vulnerable populations into productive economic activity.
Tinubu also commended Erdoğan’s role in promoting peace, especially in Somalia, and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional stability across Africa despite prevailing security challenges.
At the end of the visit, officials from both countries exchanged nine agreements covering a Joint Declaration on the Economy and Trade Committee, defence cooperation, diaspora policy, halal quality infrastructure, higher education, media and communication, education, diplomatic training and social services.
The agreements are expected to strengthen institutional cooperation and expand mutually beneficial relations between Nigeria and Türkiye.
The guardian
