Turkey has agreed to train 200 Nigerian special forces soldiers as part of a sweeping new defence cooperation deal aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s fight against jihadist insurgents and armed criminal gangs.

Nigerian Defence Minister General Christopher Musa announced that the elite troops will be deployed to Turkey for intensive instruction in counterterrorism, urban warfare and special operations tactics. The training is expected to draw on Ankara’s recent battlefield experience and its rapidly expanding defence industry.

The agreement goes beyond short-term training. Abuja and Ankara plan to establish a major military training facility in Nigeria, designed to serve as a long-term hub for preparing special forces and other units. Officials say the centre will be developed with Turkish expertise and could eventually host personnel from other West African states.

The deal also covers technology transfer, intelligence sharing and advanced surveillance capabilities. Nigerian officials are particularly interested in Turkish-made drones, armoured vehicles and precision-guided munitions, which have been widely used in conflicts from the Caucasus to North Africa.

Nigeria has battled a jihadist insurgency for more than a decade, facing attacks from Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province. In the country’s northwest, heavily armed gangs known locally as bandits raid villages, kidnap for ransom and ambush security forces. The instability is compounded by the wider security crisis in the Sahel, where militant groups exploit porous borders and weak state presence.

Against this backdrop, Abuja has sought to diversify its security partnerships and reduce dependence on traditional Western allies. Turkish officials have positioned their country as a flexible partner willing to combine training, equipment sales and industrial cooperation.

General Musa said Nigeria aims to leverage Turkey’s rapid progress in defence manufacturing to accelerate its own nascent military-industrial base. The two governments are discussing joint production and maintenance of equipment in Nigeria, a move that could lower costs and improve readiness for the armed forces.

Nigeria’s defence ministry described the new arrangements as a significant step forward in relations with Turkey, framing the partnership as part of a broader strategy to modernise the military and respond more effectively to evolving security threats across the region.