Nigeria and Türkiye have stepped up moves to deepen military and defence collaboration following high-level talks between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, in Ankara.
The talks, held ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Türkiye, also focused on strengthening political, economic, security and multilateral cooperation.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by Tuggar’s Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, the minister said the engagement underscored the growing strategic nature of relations between the two countries and efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation.
According to the statement, Tuggar and Fidan reviewed existing bilateral ties and identified new areas for collaboration.
“Tuggar placed strong emphasis on expanding bilateral trade and increasing mutual investment, particularly in sectors of interest to Turkish companies, including construction, manufacturing, energy and infrastructure.
“Both ministers acknowledged the steady growth in economic relations and underlined the need to unlock further potential through structured public–private engagement.
“On security cooperation, the two sides highlighted opportunities to deepen collaboration in military affairs and the defence industry,” the statement said.
Fidan commended Nigeria’s role in promoting regional stability, peace and prosperity in West Africa, noting the country’s leadership within regional and continental frameworks.
The statement added that the visit, Tuggar’s first official trip to Türkiye, reflects the growing strategic character of both countries, anchored on shared positions on sovereignty, institutional cooperation and pragmatic partnership, with both sides confident of deeper engagement in the period ahead.
