Turkey plans military training facility in Nigeria

By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

The Turkish Government has announced plans to establish a military training facility in Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen the capacity of the Nigerian Armed Forces to tackle insecurity, particularly terrorism.

The Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during a press briefing organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye to commemorate 66 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Poroy said the proposed facility would allow Nigerian military personnel to receive regular training locally with the support of Turkish military officers, reducing the need for them to travel to Turkey for every training programme.

He also disclosed that 200 Nigerian special forces personnel were currently undergoing a two-month training programme in Turkey.

The ambassador said the proposed facility was part of Turkey’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s security efforts through defence cooperation, military training and the exchange of experience.

He added that both countries were exploring opportunities for the local production of military equipment in Nigeria, stressing that their cooperation would extend beyond the supply of arms and other defence equipment.

“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 has already made public, we are planning also to have a local training facility here in Nigeria.

“Not only selling to Nigeria the tools, equipment and arms that it needs, but also the possibility of having local production here in Nigeria,” he said.

Poroy said Turkey was also willing to share its experience in combating terrorism, noting that his country had spent decades confronting similar security challenges.

He said the fight against terrorism required a comprehensive approach beyond military operations, as it also involved economic, religious and other considerations.

“We have also a very hard-earned experience in the fight against terrorism. Forty years. We have lost more than 40,000 people and have spent billions of dollars in our fight against terrorism.

“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. And also, military training activities. So, we have increased our bilateral military training assistance to the Nigerian Army,” he said.

Trade target rises to $5bn

On economic relations, the ambassador said Turkey was targeting $5bn in bilateral trade with Nigeria, up from the current volume of about $2bn, including oil and gas.

He said the target followed instructions from the presidents of both countries during President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Turkey earlier in 2026.

“The instruction is that the goal is to have $5 billion in bilateral trade. So far, it is around $2 billion, including oil and gas,” Poroy said.

He described the existing trade volume as relatively low given Nigeria’s economic potential, noting that Turkey’s total trade with African countries stood at about $37bn.

Poroy said he had visited chambers of commerce and industry in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and Lagos to explore opportunities for expanding trade and investment between the two countries.

He also disclosed that Turkey had introduced facilitated visa procedures for Nigerian business people to encourage business-to-business engagements and improve commercial relations.

The envoy said nine agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed during Tinubu’s visit to Turkey, adding that both countries were working towards their implementation, including the necessary ratification and domestication processes.

Describing Nigeria as a strategic partner, he said the country’s importance to West Africa and the wider African continent made stronger bilateral relations necessary for regional security, stability and economic development.

Turkey provides aid to displaced families

On humanitarian cooperation, Poroy said the Turkish Government had provided food assistance to 3,000 internally displaced families in Adamawa State.

He added that Turkish non-governmental organisations, alongside the Turkish Religious Affairs Foundation, spent about $5m on humanitarian activities in Nigeria in the previous year.

According to him, the interventions included food donations and the distribution of meat to vulnerable communities during Ramadan and Eid al-Adha.

He said the organisations were active in different parts of the country, including Abuja, Kano, Adamawa and Yobe states, adding that Turkey would continue to strengthen humanitarian cooperation with Nigerian authorities.

Nigeria-Turkey ties date back to 1960

Tracing the diplomatic relationship between the two countries, Poroy said Turkey elevated its relations with Nigeria to ambassadorial level on November 9, 1960, barely one month after Nigeria gained independence.

He said Turkey had earlier established its Consulate General in Lagos in April 1959, when Nigeria was still under British administration.

The ambassador, however, clarified that the elevation of diplomatic relations in 1960 should not be confused with the arrival of the first Turkish ambassador, who came to Nigeria in 1962.

He also traced historical links between the Ottoman Empire and territories that now form part of Nigeria to the 16th century, when the empire maintained diplomatic correspondence with the Kanem-Borno Sultanate.

According to him, documents retrieved from Ottoman archives showed correspondence between the Ottoman Sultan in Istanbul and the Kanem-Borno Sultanate, including instructions to Ottoman officials to treat visiting delegations from the kingdom as friends and provide them with protection.

Poroy further recalled the historical connection between the Ottoman Empire and the Shitta Bey Mosque in Lagos, saying the Ottoman Sultan sent a gift for its opening ceremony and conferred the title of Bey on its founder, Shitta.

On cultural relations, he said Turkey was interested in strengthening exchanges with Nigeria, particularly in art and other creative activities.

He disclosed that an exhibition titled In Nature, featuring works by his wife, an artist, would open on November 20 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Art Gallery in Abuja.