Türkiye Moves to Build Defence Factories in Nigeria as $5bn Trade Ambition Sparks Major Economic and Security Push

Nigeria and Türkiye are taking steps to deepen their defence and economic partnership, with plans to establish local military equipment production facilities and training centres in Nigeria as both countries target a $5bn trade volume.
The Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during a press briefing to commemorate 66 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Poroy said the proposed defence production facilities would allow Türkiye to move beyond supplying military equipment to Nigeria towards supporting local manufacturing and strengthening the country’s defence industry.
He explained that the initiative was part of efforts to implement agreements reached during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Türkiye earlier this year, which resulted in the signing of nine bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding.
According to the ambassador, discussions are ongoing about establishing local production units to manufacture some of the military equipment required by Nigeria.
“We are planning to have some local production unit also in that context, not only selling to Nigeria, the tools, equipment, that arms that it needs, but also the possibility of having local production here in Nigeria,” he said.
200 Nigerian special forces personnel undergo training
The proposed defence partnership also includes military training and capacity development.
Poroy disclosed that 200 Nigerian special forces personnel were undergoing a two-month training programme in Türkiye, adding that plans were underway to establish a military training facility in Nigeria.
He said the arrangement would enable Nigerian military personnel to receive continuous training locally with the support of Turkish military officers, reducing the need to send all personnel abroad for specialised programmes.
The ambassador also expressed Türkiye’s willingness to share its experience in combating terrorism, drawing on its decades-long battle against insurgency.
He said Türkiye had lost more than 40,000 people in its 40-year fight against terrorism and spent billions of dollars addressing the security challenge.
Poroy, however, stressed that tackling terrorism required more than military intervention, noting that economic and religious factors also played significant roles.
He added that Nigeria’s military was already deploying Turkish-made attack helicopters and drones in operations against insecurity, particularly in northern Nigeria.
Nigeria, Türkiye target $5bn trade volume
Beyond defence cooperation, both countries are seeking to significantly expand their economic relationship, with a target of increasing bilateral trade from approximately $2bn to $5bn.
Poroy described the existing trade volume as inadequate, considering Nigeria’s economic potential and the opportunities available for investment.
He noted that Türkiye’s total trade with African countries stood at approximately $37bn, while Turkish investments across the continent exceeded $10bn.
However, investments in Nigeria remained below $1bn, highlighting the need for stronger commercial partnerships and increased participation by Turkish businesses.
The ambassador disclosed that he had visited the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry alongside the Turkish Commercial Counsellor to explore investment opportunities.
Similar engagements, he said, had also taken place with chambers of commerce in Kano, Kaduna and Lagos.
He added that the Turkish Embassy was facilitating visa procedures for Nigerian businesspeople to encourage direct engagements between private-sector operators in both countries.
Türkiye extends humanitarian support to Nigeria
On humanitarian cooperation, Poroy revealed that the Turkish Government had provided food assistance to 3,000 internally displaced families in Adamawa State.
He further disclosed that Turkish non-governmental organisations, including the Turkish Religious Affairs Foundation, spent approximately $5m on humanitarian interventions in Nigeria over the past year.
The interventions included food donations and meat distribution during Ramadan and Eid-el-Adha.
Poroy said Türkiye would continue supporting humanitarian initiatives in Nigeria, while exploring more structured arrangements with Nigerian authorities to improve coordination.
The ambassador also traced the historical relationship between both countries to the 16th century, when the Ottoman Empire maintained diplomatic correspondence with the Kanem-Borno Sultanate.
He described Nigeria as a strategic partner in promoting security, stability and economic development across West Africa and the wider African continent.
The proposed defence factories and military training facilities signal a potential expansion of Nigeria-Türkiye relations beyond conventional arms purchases, although details of the proposed manufacturing investment, production capacity and implementation timeline are yet to be disclosed.