Nigeria and Türkiye have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening military cooperation and defense industry collaboration during a high-level meeting held on the sidelines of the 17th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025, currently underway in Istanbul.
On Wednesday, July 24, 2025, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammad Matawalle, MON, met with Türkiye’s Minister of National Defence, Yaşar Güler, to discuss strategic areas of partnership aimed at advancing Nigeria’s defense modernization agenda.
The bilateral talks focused on a broad range of defense and security priorities, including enhanced military cooperation, defense technology transfer, and procurement of cutting-edge military hardware. Specific areas of interest included the acquisition of combat vehicles, fighter aircraft, warships, radars, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as training and maintenance support.
Both ministers underscored the strength of the Nigeria-Türkiye defense partnership and reiterated a shared commitment to building technological self-reliance and promoting sustainable military capabilities in both countries.
The meeting took place as part of IDEF 2025, a six-day international defense and aerospace exhibition, which opened on Tuesday, July 22, and is scheduled to run through Saturday, July 27, 2025, in Istanbul.
Accompanying Dr. Matawalle at the meeting were several top Nigerian defense officials, including Ambassador Gabriel Tanimu Aduda, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence; Air Vice Marshal Yusuf, representing the Chief of Air Staff; Major General B.I. Alaya, Director General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON); Brigadier General M.L. Abubakar, Nigeria’s Defence Attaché to Türkiye; the Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence; and a representative of the Nigerian High Commission in Türkiye.
Türkiye continues to serve as a key strategic partner in Nigeria’s quest to modernize its armed forces and build a resilient national defense architecture.
