President Bola Tinubu returned to Abuja on Saturday night, concluding a five-day State visit to Türkiye, where he held high-level talks aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and expanding economic, security, and strategic cooperation between the two countries.
The President’s aircraft touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 8:55 p.m.
He was received by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; alongside other senior government officials.
Tinubu’s return followed a series of bilateral engagements in Ankara with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during which both leaders agreed to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, defence, energy and counter-terrorism.
Speaking at a joint press briefing, President Erdogan reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to achieving a $5 billion trade volume with Nigeria, disclosing that discussions toward reaching the target were already underway.
He said the planned establishment of a Joint Economy and Trade Committee would serve as a key platform for expanding bilateral trade and boosting Turkish investments in Nigeria, describing it as central to attaining the $5 billion goal.
Erdogan commended President Tinubu’s drive to attract foreign investment, noting that the presence of several Nigerian ministers and top officials demonstrated that commitment.
He also praised Nigeria’s ongoing energy sector reforms and expressed optimism that collaboration between the Turkish Petroleum Corporation and Nigerian counterparts would produce positive results.
On security, the Turkish leader pledged support for Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts, particularly in the Sahel region, and offered enhanced cooperation in military training and intelligence sharing.
In his remarks, President Tinubu expressed appreciation for Türkiye’s readiness to collaborate in advancing global freedom, stability and shared prosperity.
He stressed the need to build an inclusive economy that integrates vulnerable groups into productive economic activities.
The President also applauded Erdogan’s contributions to global peace efforts, especially in Somalia, and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to promoting peace and stability across Africa despite regional challenges.
At the conclusion of the visit, officials from both countries exchanged nine agreements, including a Joint Declaration establishing the Economy and Trade Joint Committee, as well as accords covering defence cooperation, diaspora policy, halal quality infrastructure, higher education, media and communication, education, diplomatic training, and social services.
