By Ayomide Otitoju
President Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria following a state visit to the Republic of Türkiye aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between both countries.
The President arrived in the country at about 8:55 p.m. and was received by senior government officials. Tinubu had departed Abuja for Türkiye on January 26, 2026, in continuation of efforts to deepen diplomatic, economic and security cooperation between Abuja and Ankara.
The visit followed an earlier official trip to Nigeria by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in October 2021, which helped reinforce ties between the two nations.
During the visit, President Tinubu and President Erdoğan signed nine Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering key sectors, including energy cooperation, media, higher education and Halal Quality Infrastructure, with the latter aimed at improving the competitiveness of Nigerian agricultural exports.
A major focus of the talks was the plan to increase bilateral trade from $2 billion to $5 billion. Speaking during a joint briefing, Tinubu said both leaders also discussed measures to support investments in Nigeria, noting that the proposed Joint Economy and Trade Committee would play a central role in advancing that objective.
President Erdoğan, for his part, pledged Türkiye’s support for Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, expressing readiness to deepen cooperation in military training and intelligence sharing. He said Nigeria, under Tinubu’s leadership, is taking decisive steps against terrorism, adding that Türkiye stands with the Nigerian people in the struggle.
The Turkish leader also warned that terrorist groups, particularly in Africa’s Sahel region, pose a significant threat to the continent’s stability.
Nigerian officials also held engagements with leading Turkish defence industry firms during the visit and expressed optimism that the discussions would yield positive outcomes.
Nigeria currently exports crude oil and agricultural products to Türkiye, while Türkiye exports aircraft, iron and steel products, chemicals and helicopters to Nigeria.
