The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has assured that Nigeria would implement the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) it signed with the Republic of Türkiye in January.

Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu gave the assurance in a statement issued on Friday by Magnus Eze, special assistant on communication and new media, Office of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

The statement said the minister made the remark during a courtesy visit by the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, to her office in Abuja.

She recalled that President Bola Tinubu had, on January 27, visited Ankara to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries at the invitation of the President of Turkey, Recep Erdoğan.

According to her, the MoUs signed between both countries indicate that what is important is the ability of the parties to implement them to benefit their people.

“Bilateral relations between Nigeria and Türkiye have blossomed over the years in all ramifications; and political relations between both countries remain cordial.

“Nigeria and Türkiye hold identical views on strategies to address topical global issues, including the war against terrorism, climate change, and human migration, promotion of international peace and security.

“This also calls for reform of the global governance system and for greater inclusiveness, to accommodate all interests across the various regions of the world,” she was quoted as saying.

The MoUs include agreements on cooperation in the field of education between the Nigerian Foreign Service Academy and the Diplomacy Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye.

Also included are the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of a Joint Economic and Trade Committee, as well as the Protocol on Military Cooperation.

Others are cooperation on Halal Quality Infrastructure, Media and Communications, and the MoU on enhancing the effectiveness of social services provided to women, children, persons with disabilities, and older persons.

Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s focus on maximising the outcomes of his recent visit by directing Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to submit roadmaps for the operationalisation of the MoUs signed in Ankara.

She stated that the economic relations between Nigeria and Türkiye were progressing steadily, with trade volume estimated at close to 2 billion dollars, if the informal sector is captured in official statistics.

According to her, the January 2026 trade forum in Ankara serves as a practical engine for Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda,” transitioning diplomatic goals into a concrete roadmap for reaching a 5 billion dollars bilateral trade target.

“Central to the event was the activation of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), designed to exceed traditional diplomacy by providing a mechanism for the private sector to resolve trade barriers and capitalise on Nigeria’s recent economic reforms.

“The forum specifically prioritised the modernisation of Nigeria’s energy and agricultural sectors through Turkish technical expertise, particularly leveraging new Halal quality standards, to open European and Middle Eastern markets to Nigerian exports,” she said.

Earlier, the Turkish ambassador described the country’s defence cooperation with Nigeria as imperative for holding counterterrorism consultations between the two countries.

Poroy noted that the Joint Economic and Trade Council between both countries would bolster their economic relations and urged them to leverage it to achieve their targeted 5 billion dollar volume of trade. 

(NAN)