Nigeria and Turkey have agreed to a new 17-year defense cooperation deal aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s capacity to combat its prolonged jihadist insurgency, Nigeria’s defense minister announced Saturday. The agreement, unveiled during the Nigerian delegation’s visit to Antalya, Turkey, focuses on joint training, production, and strengthening defense industry collaboration between the two nations.

Defense Minister Christopher Musa stated that as part of the arrangement, 200 members of Nigeria’s special forces will be sent to Turkey for specialized training. The partnership comes amid Nigeria’s ongoing struggle against Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and armed criminal gangs known as bandits, who have collectively contributed to widespread insecurity particularly in the country’s northern and northwestern regions.

Nigeria’s security challenges extend beyond its borders, with the broader Sahel region experiencing a surge in jihadist activity that has exacerbated instability across West Africa. In response, Nigeria has sought to diversify its international defense partnerships to reduce heavy dependence on traditional allies, notably the United States.

In recent months, the United States deployed approximately 200 troops to Nigeria and conducted airstrikes in the northern state of Sokoto last year, efforts aimed at countering insurgent groups. However, diplomatic tensions have surfaced, including former U.S. President Donald Trump’s allegations of persecution of Nigerian Christians—claims that the Nigerian government and local experts have disputed, emphasizing that the country’s multi-religious population suffers casualties from various overlapping conflicts regardless of faith.

Turkey’s emergence as a defense partner follows Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Ankara in January, marking the first Nigerian presidential visit to Turkey in nearly a decade. The Turkish defense industry is noted for its rapid advancements, particularly in the production of cost-effective armed drones, for which Turkey is a leading global exporter.

Minister Musa highlighted Turkey’s progress in military manufacturing and underscored plans for joint production initiatives to enhance Nigeria’s domestic defense capabilities. The agreement signifies Nigeria’s strategic move toward building a more self-reliant defense infrastructure in the face of evolving security threats throughout the region.