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© Nigerian Army

Nigeria and Türkiye are seeking to deepen their defence-industrial cooperation, with a particular emphasis on technology transfer, local production and the development of indigenous defence capabilities to support the modernisation of the Nigerian Army.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, received the Deputy Secretary of Defence Industries of Türkiye, Gökhan Uçar, at Army Headquarters in Abuja, where discussions focused on expanding bilateral cooperation across a range of defence-industrial and technological areas. The meeting formed part of continuing efforts to strengthen relations between the two countries and identify areas where Turkish defence expertise and Nigerian requirements could support mutually beneficial industrial cooperation.

During the engagement, discussions covered defence technology, equipment development, local production, technology transfer, maintenance support and capacity building. Particular attention was placed on establishing cooperation that would go beyond the acquisition of defence equipment and contribute to the development of sustainable technical and industrial capabilities within Nigeria.

Lieutenant General Shaibu emphasised the importance of partnerships capable of delivering tangible operational benefits to the Nigerian Army while simultaneously strengthening indigenous expertise. He highlighted technology transfer, skills development, local content and sustainable maintenance capabilities as important elements of any long-term defence-industrial relationship.

The approach reflects Nigeria’s broader objective of increasing self-reliance in the defence sector and developing domestic capabilities capable of supporting the Armed Forces throughout the lifecycle of military equipment. Local maintenance and technical support are particularly important in ensuring operational availability, reducing dependence on overseas support and developing a skilled national workforce capable of sustaining increasingly sophisticated defence systems.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for the Nigerian and Turkish sides to examine potential cooperation in research and development, joint production, technical assistance and defence innovation. Such areas could provide a framework for closer engagement between defence institutions and industry while supporting Nigeria’s efforts to expand its indigenous defence-industrial base.

Türkiye has developed a rapidly expanding defence industry encompassing land systems, unmanned platforms, aerospace, naval systems, weapons, sensors, communications and other advanced military technologies. Against this background, deeper industrial cooperation offers Nigeria potential opportunities to combine equipment procurement with local production, technical knowledge and workforce development.

For the Nigerian Army, strengthening domestic industrial and technological capacity is increasingly relevant as it responds to a diverse range of security and operational requirements. Building the ability to maintain, adapt and eventually develop military systems locally could contribute to greater operational flexibility and long-term sustainability.

The Abuja engagement reaffirmed the commitment of Nigeria and Türkiye to strengthening their defence relationship through practical industrial and technological cooperation. By placing technology transfer, local content, capacity building and sustainable support at the centre of the partnership, both sides are seeking to establish a framework that contributes to Nigeria’s indigenous defence capabilities while supporting the Nigerian Army’s transformation into a more technologically enabled, adaptable and operationally effective force.