ANKARA, Jan 28 – Türkiye and Nigeria agreed on Tuesday to work toward lifting bilateral trade to $5 billion, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted President Bola Tinubu in Ankara and both leaders pledged closer cooperation on commerce, energy and security.
Erdogan said trade between the two countries stands at about $2 billion and that officials have begun talks on the steps needed to reach the new target. He added that both sides agreed to establish a Joint Economy and Trade Committee to speed up investment and widen commercial links.
Tinubu said Nigeria wants partnerships that expand opportunity and include more people in economic growth. He said the talks focused on trade and business that help people learn, work and prosper, while also addressing social pressures that can slow progress.
Beyond trade, both leaders said security cooperation formed a key part of the discussions. Tinubu said the talks covered efforts against terrorism and how to counter agents of destabilisation. Erdogan, for his part, said Türkiye would stand by Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, with a focus on threats linked to the Sahel, and offered cooperation on areas such as training and intelligence.
In addition, the leaders reviewed relations across sectors including trade, investment, energy, education and the defence industry. Erdogan said Türkiye was encouraged by Nigeria’s reform efforts, including recent changes in the energy sector.
The visit also produced nine cooperation agreements, officials said. The deals cover areas that include defence cooperation, diaspora policy, diplomatic training, education, media and communication, social services, infrastructure, social inclusion, and the creation of the Joint Economy and Trade Committee.
Tinubu also praised Türkiye’s role in international diplomacy, citing its engagement in Somalia as an example of constructive involvement.
In May 2025, Türkiye said three Turkish companies had invested about $272 million across Nigerian states, among other investments by firms of Turkish origin.
