President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja following a State visit to Türkiye marked by extensive diplomatic engagements focused on deepening ties between both countries.
The presidential aircraft touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 8:55 p.m. on Saturday.
On arrival, the President was welcomed by top government officials, including 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; alongside other senior aides.
Tinubu’s trip culminated in high-level talks in Ankara with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, where both leaders reached broad agreements to scale up cooperation in key areas such as trade, investment, defence, energy and counter-terrorism.
Speaking at a joint press briefing, President Erdogan restated Türkiye’s resolve to boost bilateral trade with Nigeria to $5 billion, disclosing that discussions toward achieving the target were already underway. He noted that trade between both countries currently stands at about $2 billion.
READ ALSO: Nigeria, Türkiye Sign MoU to Boost Women, Children Welfare
Erdogan explained that the proposed Joint Economy and Trade Committee would serve as a major platform for expanding trade relations and encouraging Turkish investments in Nigeria, describing it as vital to attaining the $5 billion goal.
The Turkish leader also commended President Tinubu’s investment-driven agenda, pointing out that the participation of several Nigerian ministers and senior officials during the visit reflected strong political will.
Read Also
He further welcomed reforms in Nigeria’s energy sector, expressing confidence that collaboration between the Turkish Petroleum Corporation and Nigerian partners would deliver tangible benefits.
On regional security, Erdogan assured Nigeria of Türkiye’s support in combating terrorism, especially across the Sahel, while proposing enhanced cooperation in military training, intelligence sharing and defence industry development.
He said Türkiye was prepared to share its experience in counter-terrorism and defence collaboration.
In his response, President Tinubu thanked the Turkish government for its openness and readiness to work with Nigeria in advancing global freedom, stability and shared prosperity.
He underscored the need for an inclusive economic model that integrates vulnerable groups into productive ventures.
The Nigerian leader also praised Erdogan’s contributions to global peace initiatives, particularly in Somalia, and reiterated Nigeria’s determination to promote peace and stability across Africa despite prevailing regional challenges.
The visit concluded with the exchange of nine agreements between officials of both countries. These included a Joint Declaration establishing the Economy and Trade Joint Committee, as well as accords covering defence cooperation, diaspora policy, halal quality infrastructure, higher education, media and communication, education, diplomatic training, and social services cooperation.
