By Zainab Bakare
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, on Monday held a high-level talks with Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, in Ankara.
This steps seeks to strengthen bilateral relations ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s forthcoming State Visit.
The meeting focused on expanding cooperation across political, economic, security, and multilateral spheres.
According to a statement by the SA Media to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alkasim Abdulkadri, the talks signals a renewed push to elevate Nigeria–Türkiye relations to a more strategic level.
Minister Fidan commends Nigeria’s leadership role in West Africa, describing the country as a key stabilizing force in the region and commending its contributions to peace, security, and continental development initiatives.
Ambassador Tuggar underscores Nigeria’s commitment to deepening economic engagement with Türkiye, with emphasis on boosting bilateral trade and attracting Turkish investment in priority sectors such as construction, manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure.
Both sides acknowledged the steady growth in economic relations and stressed the need to unlock untapped opportunities through structured public–private sector collaboration.
Security cooperation also featured prominently, with discussions highlighting prospects for enhanced collaboration in military affairs and the defence industry.
The Ankara talks underscore the growing strategic importance of Nigeria–Türkiye relations, anchored on shared positions on sovereignty, institutional collaboration, and pragmatic partnership.
Both countries expresses optimism that President Tinubu’s forthcoming State Visit would further consolidate ties and open new avenues for cooperation in the months ahead.
