Nigeria has secured a major boost to its military capacity after Turkey agreed to train 200 of its special forces personnel under a new defence cooperation deal.
The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, announced the development following talks with his Turkish counterpart, Yaşar Güler, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026.
Musa said the agreement forms part of a broader security partnership aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s response to terrorism and modernising its armed forces.
Under the arrangement, Nigerian troops will undergo elite special forces training in Turkey, with deployment expected shortly after his return. The programme is expected to cover advanced combat tactics, counterterrorism operations and intelligence coordination.
The two countries also plan to hold joint military exercises later this year, signalling a deepening operational relationship.
Beyond training, both nations agreed to pursue joint production of defence equipment and expand military technology transfer. Musa noted that Turkey’s rapid growth in defence manufacturing offers Nigeria an opportunity to accelerate its own industrial capacity.
The partnership builds on earlier agreements signed during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Turkey, where both countries committed to expanding cooperation across multiple sectors, including defence.
Turkey has increasingly positioned itself as a strategic ally to Nigeria, particularly in tackling insurgency and terrorism threats that affect both nations.
