Türkiye targets $5bn trade volume with Nigeria — Erdogan

By Kunle Sanni –

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Türkiye has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to achieving a $5 billion trade volume with Nigeria, saying discussions towards the target are already underway.

Erdogan made this known on Tuesday in Ankara during a joint press briefing with President Bola Tinubu, as part of the Nigerian leader’s state visit to Türkiye.

He said the proposed establishment of a Joint Economy and Trade Committee would play a key role in expanding trade relations and supporting Turkish investments in Nigeria.

According to the Turkish President, both countries reviewed their bilateral relations across several sectors, including trade, investment, energy, education and defence, and identified significant potential for growth.

“We reaffirmed our commitment to the $5 billion trade volume target and discussed the steps that need to be taken to achieve it,” Erdogan said, adding that the joint committee agreed upon would help create new opportunities for investors from Türkiye operating in Nigeria.

Erdogan praised President Tinubu’s commitment to economic reforms and investment promotion, describing the presence of senior Nigerian ministers and officials during the visit as evidence of the administration’s determination to attract foreign investment.

He also commended Nigeria’s ongoing reforms in the energy sector, noting that cooperation between the Turkish Petroleum Corporation and Nigerian counterparts could yield positive outcomes.

On security, Erdogan expressed Türkiye’s readiness to support Nigeria in its fight against terrorism, particularly in the Sahel region, citing his country’s experience in counter-terrorism. He said both leaders discussed closer collaboration in military training, intelligence sharing and defence industry cooperation.