ANKARA/ISTANBUL

Nine agreements were signed between Türkiye and Nigeria on Tuesday in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Nigerian Head of State Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The agreements were signed following one-on-one and delegation-level meetings at the Presidential Palace in Türkiye’s capital Ankara.

The two sides signed several agreements and memoranda of understanding covering cooperation in diaspora policy, media and communication, higher education, halal accreditation, military cooperation, and cooperation with diplomatic academies. Both sides also adopted a joint declaration establishing the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO).

The agreements signed between Türkiye and Nigeria include:

- Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Diaspora Policy between the Presidency of Turks Abroad and Related Communities of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye and the Commission for Nigerians in the Diaspora.

- Memorandum of Understanding between Türkiye and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the Field of Media and Communication.

- Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Higher Education.

- Memorandum of Understanding between the Halal Accreditation Agency of the Republic of Türkiye and the Nigerian National Accreditation System in the Field of Halal Quality Infrastructure.

- Joint Declaration Establishing the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO).

- Protocol on Military Cooperation.

- Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Education.

- Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye and the Foreign Affairs Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

- Agreement on Cooperation between the Ministry of Family and Social Policies of the Republic of Türkiye and the Ministry of Women's Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

- Diplomatic relations between Türkiye, Nigeria

Diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Nigeria were established on Nov. 9, 1960. Bilateral trade volume reached $688.4 million in the first 11 months of 2025.

Including energy trade, Nigeria became Türkiye’s largest trading partner in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2025.

More than 50 Turkish-owned companies operate in Nigeria, with total investments valued at around $400 million. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of projects undertaken by Turkish contractors in the West African country, with the total value of these projects approaching $3 billion.

In line with Ankara's support for Abuja’s counterterrorism efforts, cooperation in the fields of military affairs, security, and the defense industry continues to grow stronger in a robust and steady manner.

Between 1992 and 2023, 199 Nigerian students graduated through Türkiye scholarships. Currently, 149 Nigerian students are continuing their education in Türkiye under the program.