Nigeria and Türkiye have signed a far-reaching defence partnership covering military training, technology transfer, intelligence sharing and maritime cooperation to strengthen national security and operational readiness.
The agreement was reached during high-level talks between Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa, and his Turkish counterpart on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Defence said the deal reinforces longstanding bilateral ties and aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to enhance Nigeria’s defence capabilities.
Under the agreement, Türkiye will provide structured training for Nigerian Armed Forces in Special Forces operations, counterterrorism, intelligence integration, counter-drone and counter-IED operations, as well as UN pre-deployment training. An initial batch of Nigerian personnel is set for immediate deployment to Türkiye for specialised training.
Both countries also agreed to establish a major military training facility in Nigeria, with a temporary site to precede a permanent coastal centre of excellence.
The partnership includes cooperation in defence industry development through technology transfer, maintenance training and co-development initiatives. Türkiye will support Nigeria with advanced surveillance systems, unmanned aerial platforms, satellite monitoring technologies and specialised air and ground systems.
Additionally, both nations will begin technical engagements on integrated border management systems and enhanced intelligence sharing to tackle emerging threats, while also strengthening aircraft maintenance, supply chains and operational readiness.
The talks further explored maritime collaboration, including evaluation of suitable platforms to boost maritime domain awareness, and sharing of best practices in disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programmes.
Describing the outcome as a major milestone, Musa said implementation would begin immediately, particularly in training deployments and technical cooperation.
“We are committed to delivering tangible results that will strengthen national security,” he said, adding that all agreements would be formally processed for execution.
Source: Defence News NG