Tinubu Heads to Türkiye for State Visit to Strengthen Nigeria–Turkey Relations

President Bola Tinubu will travel to Türkiye on January 26, 2026, for a state visit aimed at strengthening relations between Nigeria and Türkiye. He will hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan focusing on security, education, innovation, aviation, and economic cooperation. The visit will include high-level meetings, the signing of several memoranda of understanding, and a Nigeria–Türkiye business forum to boost trade and investment. Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria after the visit.

Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will leave the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Monday, January 26, 2026, for a state visit to Türkiye, a trip aimed at further strengthening diplomatic ties and deepening cooperation between the two friendly nations.
During the visit, President Tinubu is scheduled to hold extensive bilateral talks with his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The discussions will centre on a wide range of priority areas, including security cooperation, educational exchange, social development, innovation, and the aviation sector, all of which both countries consider crucial to their long-term partnership.
The visit follows President Erdogan’s official trip to Nigeria from October 19 to 20, 2021, and reflects the sustained momentum in diplomatic engagement between Abuja and Ankara. It is expected to consolidate the gains recorded during previous high-level interactions and open new pathways for collaboration in strategic sectors.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the visit will feature a series of strategic political and diplomatic engagements. These engagements, he said, will be anchored on shared values and mutual interests, particularly in finance, communications, trade, and investment, as both nations seek to expand economic cooperation and improve people-to-people relations.
Several high-level meetings between senior officials of Nigeria and Türkiye have also been scheduled as part of the programme. These meetings are expected to provide an opportunity for in-depth discussions on regional and global issues, as well as the strengthening of institutional cooperation between relevant ministries and agencies of both countries.
The agenda further includes the signing of a number of memoranda of understanding aimed at formalising cooperation in key sectors. Areas to be covered by the agreements include scientific research, energy development, technical cooperation, media and communications, military collaboration, and diplomatic protocol. The MoUs are expected to provide a framework for sustained engagement and practical implementation of joint initiatives.
As part of efforts to deepen economic ties, a Nigeria–Türkiye business forum will be convened on the sidelines of the visit. The forum will bring together investors, business leaders and key stakeholders from both countries to explore fresh opportunities for collaboration, trade expansion and investment partnerships, with the goal of boosting private sector participation and strengthening bilateral economic relations.
Members of President Tinubu’s delegation who will take part in the bilateral discussions include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi; the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd); and the Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Defence, Jimi Benson.
Other members of the delegation are the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim; the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; the Minister of Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed.
At the conclusion of the state visit, President Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria, bringing to an end what officials describe as a significant diplomatic engagement aimed at advancing Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives and strengthening its strategic partnership with Türkiye.