Turkiye Plans Defence Production Facilities and Training Centres in Nigeria as Both Nations Pursue $5bn Trade Target
Turkiye is preparing to establish local defence production facilities and military training centres in Nigeria, a move aimed at deepening security cooperation and lifting bilateral trade from its current level of about $2 billion to $5 billion. The Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, announced the plan on Monday in Abuja during a press briefing marking the 66th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
According to the ambassador, the proposed defence production facilities would allow Turkiye to move beyond simply supplying military equipment to Nigeria and toward supporting local manufacturing. He explained that the initiative forms part of efforts to implement agreements reached during President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Turkiye earlier in the year, a trip attended by nine Nigerian ministers that produced nine agreements and memoranda of understanding.
“We are planning to have some local production unit also in that context, not only selling to Nigeria the tools, equipment and arms that it needs, but also the possibility of having local production here in Nigeria,” Poroy said.
Training Programme for Nigerian Special Forces
On military training, the envoy disclosed that 200 Nigerian special forces personnel were undergoing a two-month training programme in Turkiye, adding that arrangements were underway to set up a training facility on Nigerian soil. He noted that not all military personnel would be sent to Turkiye; instead, Turkish officers would be present in Nigeria to deliver continuous training for the Nigerian Army.
“Actually, 200 Nigerian special forces personnel are in Turkey. They are finalising their two months’ training activity there. And after that, as the Honourable Minister of Defence already made it public, we are planning also to have a local training facility here in Nigeria,” he stated.
Sharing Counter-Terrorism Expertise
Poroy said Turkiye was willing to share its experience in combating terrorism with Nigeria, noting that his country had lost more than 40,000 people and spent billions of dollars during its 40-year fight against terrorism. He stressed that terrorism requires more than military solutions because of its economic and religious dimensions.
“We have lost more than 40,000 people and have spent billions of dollars in our fight against terrorism. So, we know how difficult this is, to tackle all this issue. It’s very complicated, not only a military issue; there are other aspects, economic or religious. So, we are in consultations with the Nigerian side in order to share our expertise on the issue,” he said.
The ambassador identified defence cooperation as a major pillar of bilateral relations, noting that the Nigerian military already uses Turkish attack helicopters and drones in operations against insecurity, particularly in northern Nigeria.
Economic Relations and the $5bn Trade Goal
On the economic front, Poroy said both countries were targeting $5 billion in bilateral trade, compared with the current volume of approximately $2 billion, including oil and gas. He described the existing trade volume as inadequate given Nigeria’s economic potential, noting that Turkiye’s total trade with African countries stands at about $37 billion.
“The instruction is the goal is to have $5 billion bilateral trade. So far, it is around $2 billion, including oil and gas. When you see the huge Nigerian economy, $2 billion is not something so important,” he said.
The envoy further disclosed that Turkish investments across Africa exceed $10 billion, while investments in Nigeria remain below $1 billion, underscoring the need to attract more Turkish businesses into the country. He said he visited the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday alongside the Turkish Commercial Counsellor to discuss ways of expanding trade and investment, adding that he had held similar engagements with chambers of commerce in Kano, Kaduna and Lagos.
Poroy also said the embassy was facilitating visa procedures for Nigerian businesspeople to encourage direct engagement between the private sectors of both countries. “From our side, we also facilitate the visa procedures for businesspeople because without B2B contact, you cannot increase all these relations,” he said.
Humanitarian Cooperation
On humanitarian cooperation, the ambassador disclosed that the Turkish Government had provided food assistance to 3,000 internally displaced families in Adamawa State. He added that Turkish non-governmental organisations, including the Turkish Religious Affairs Foundation, spent about $5 million on humanitarian interventions in Nigeria over the past year, particularly food donations and meat distribution during Ramadan and Eid-el-Adha.
“Last year, this foundation and other NGOs in total, I’m talking about the last year, they spent $5 million for the donation or the sacrifices, you know, during the Ramadan or after Eid-el-Adha, for meat. They were distributing meat to the people in need,” he said. Poroy added that Turkiye would continue its humanitarian interventions, possibly through a more structured arrangement with Nigerian authorities to improve coordination.
Historical Ties and Cultural Exchange
Earlier, the ambassador traced the historical ties between both countries to the 16th century, when the Ottoman Empire maintained diplomatic correspondence with the Kanem-Borno Sultanate. He said historical documents retrieved from Ottoman archives showed that the Ottoman Sultan recognised the sovereignty of the Kanem-Borno Sultanate and directed officials to treat its representatives as friends and to protect delegations travelling to Istanbul and those undertaking pilgrimages.
He also cited the Shitta-Bey Mosque in Lagos as another historical connection, saying the Ottoman Sultan sent a representative to its opening ceremony towards the end of the 19th century and conferred the title of Bey on its owner, Shitta.
Poroy clarified that November 9, 1960, marked the elevation of diplomatic relations between Turkiye and Nigeria to ambassadorial level, barely a month after Nigeria gained independence on October 1, 1960. He said Turkiye had established a Consulate-General in Lagos on April 19, 1959, while Nigeria was still under British colonial administration, but the first Turkish ambassador arrived in 1962.
The envoy described Nigeria as a strategic partner because of its importance to security, stability and economic development in West Africa and across the continent. He, however, acknowledged the need to strengthen cultural cooperation, announcing that an art exhibition titled In Nature, featuring works by his wife, would open at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Atrium Art Gallery on November 20. He said both countries needed to deepen cultural exchanges alongside their growing security and economic partnerships.
