Turkiye Targets $5bn Trade Volume With Nigeria as Tinubu, Erdogan Deepen Bilateral Ties
Turkiye Targets $5bn Trade Volume With Nigeria as Tinubu, Erdogan Deepen Bilateral Ties
Turkiye Targets $5bn Trade Volume With Nigeria as Tinubu, Erdogan Deepen Bilateral Ties
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Turkiye has announced his country’s target of achieving a $5 billion trade volume with Nigeria, revealing that discussions to actualise the goal are already underway.
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President Erdogan made the disclosure on Tuesday in Ankara during a joint press briefing with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is on a State Visit to Turkiye.
Currently, trade between both nations stands at approximately $2 billion, with Türkiye exporting aircraft, helicopters, machinery, iron and steel, and chemical products to Nigeria, while Nigeria supplies crude oil and agricultural products to Turkiye.
Erdogan said the establishment of a Joint Economy and Trade Committee would unlock new opportunities and expand Turkish investments in Nigeria, helping both countries reach the $5 billion target.
He praised President Tinubu’s commitment to Nigeria’s development, noting that the presence of several ministers and top officials in the delegation reflected strong political will.
“Today, we conducted a comprehensive review of our relations in trade, investments, energy, education, and defence industry. We see significant potential in trade and investment, and we discussed the steps needed to reach our $5 billion target,” Erdogan said.
He also commended Nigeria’s progress in the energy sector and expressed optimism that cooperation between Turkish Petroleum Corporation and Nigerian partners would yield positive results.
On security, President Erdogan pledged Turkiye’s support for Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, citing Türkiye’s own experience in counterterrorism operations.
“Terrorist organisations, especially in Africa’s Sahel region, threaten the peace of the continent. Turkiye stands with Nigeria under President Tinubu’s leadership. We are ready to share our experience in combating terrorism, including cooperation in military training and intelligence,” he stated.
President Tinubu, in his remarks, thanked Turkiye for its openness to collaboration and stressed the importance of building an inclusive economy that prioritises vulnerable populations.
He commended Erdogan’s willingness to work jointly on trade, security, and development, while reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to promoting peace and stability across Africa.
“We discussed efforts against terrorism and how to defeat agents of destabilisation. Nigeria will continue to play its role in ensuring peace on the continent,” Tinubu said.
The Nigerian President also praised Erdogan’s contributions to global peace efforts, particularly in Somalia.
At the conclusion of the bilateral meeting, officials from both countries signed nine agreements covering diaspora policy, defence cooperation, establishment of the Joint Economy and Trade Committee, halal quality infrastructure, higher education, media and communication, education, diplomatic training, and collaboration between Turkiye’s Ministry of Social Services and Nigeria’s Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
The agreements signal a renewed phase of strategic partnership between Nigeria and Turkiye across economic, security, and social development sectors.
Turkiye Targets $5bn Trade Volume With Nigeria as Tinubu, Erdogan Deepen Bilateral Ties
