Türkiye and Nigeria ink nine deals, covering media and defense
Turkey and Nigeria signed nine cooperation agreements during a state visit by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Ankara.
The accords cover media collaboration, military training, higher education, and halal accreditation, further solidifying a strategic partnership where Nigeria is Türkiye’s largest trade partner in Sub-Saharan Africa, News.Az reports, citing Turkish media.
Türkiye and Nigeria have signed a suite of nine cooperation agreements, including a key memorandum on media and communication, as part of efforts to deepen their strategic partnership. The pacts were inked in Ankara on Tuesday during an official visit by Nigerian Head of State Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The media memorandum of understanding, valid for three years, facilitates the exchange of information, expertise, and best practices between the two countries. It also provides for organizing joint seminars, workshops, training programs, and reciprocal visits for officials and experts in the broadcasting and communication sectors. This agreement aims to foster closer ties between the media landscapes of both nations.
The signing ceremony, held after bilateral and delegation-level meetings, encompassed a wide range of sectors beyond media. Additional agreements focused on military training, diaspora policy, higher education, halal accreditation, diplomatic training, and social affairs. These accords build upon a longstanding relationship; diplomatic ties between Ankara and Abuja have been in place since November 1960.
The partnership is underpinned by robust economic and security cooperation. With energy trade included, Nigeria became Türkiye’s largest trading partner in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2025, with bilateral trade volume reaching $688.4 million in the first eleven months of the year. Defense cooperation is particularly strong, with the Nigerian Air Force having purchased Turkish drones and T129 ATAK helicopters. Over 50 Turkish companies operate in Nigeria, with total investments nearing $400 million and contractor projects valued at around $3 billion.
