TÜRKIYE IS PLANNING TO ESTABLISH LOCAL DEFENCE PRODUCTION FACILITIES AND MILITARY TRAINING CENTRES IN NIGERIA AS PART OF EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN SECURITY COOPERATION AND INCREASE BILATERAL TRADE TO $5 BILLION.(PHOTO).

 Türkiye is planning to establish local defence production facilities and military training centres in Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen security cooperation and increase bilateral trade to $5 billion.

Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja, saying the proposed facilities would enable Türkiye to support local military equipment production rather than simply supplying weapons and equipment.

He also revealed that 200 Nigerian special forces personnel were undergoing a two-month training programme in Türkiye, with plans underway to establish a similar facility in Nigeria.

“We are planning to have some local production unit also in that context, not only selling to Nigeria the tools, equipment, the arms that it needs, but also the possibility of having local production here in Nigeria,” Poroy said.

On trade, the ambassador said bilateral trade currently stood at approximately $2 billion, including oil and gas, but both countries were targeting $5 billion.

He also expressed Türkiye’s willingness to share its experience in combating terrorism, noting that Turkish military equipment, including attack helicopters and drones, was already being used by Nigerian forces.

Poroy further disclosed that Türkiye had provided food assistance to 3,000 internally displaced families in Adamawa State, while Turkish humanitarian organisations spent about $5 million on interventions in Nigeria within the last year.