Abuja
President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Monday, January 26, for a state visit to the Republic of Turkey, as Nigeria seeks to deepen diplomatic and economic relations with the country.
The visit, according to a statement issued on Sunday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is aimed at strengthening cooperation in key areas such as security, education, social development, innovation, and aviation.
Onanuga said the trip builds on the official visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Nigeria in October 2021, which helped reinforce ties between both countries.
During the visit, Nigeria and Turkey are expected to hold high-level political and diplomatic engagements focused on shared interests in finance, communications, trade, and investment.
The programme will also include meetings between senior officials from both countries and the signing of several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) covering areas such as scientific research, energy, technical cooperation, media and communications, military collaboration, and protocol.
A Nigeria–Turkey business forum will be held on the sidelines of the visit, bringing together investors from both countries to explore opportunities for economic partnership and growth.
Members of the President’s delegation include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd); and the Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Jimi Benson.
Also travelling with the President are the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Suleiman-Ibrahim; the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; the Minister of Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed.
President Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria at the end of the visit.
The trip is part of ongoing efforts by the administration to strengthen international partnerships and attract foreign investment to support national development.