Nigeria has concluded plans to send 200 Special Forces personnel to Türkiye for advanced military training, Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, confirmed.

Musa made this known on Saturday at the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Türkiye after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Yasar Guler. He said the move signals a new phase in defence cooperation between both countries, with deployment set to begin immediately upon his return to Nigeria.

“We have a Special Forces training agreement. Türkiye has agreed to give us 200 Special Forces trainees, so as soon as I return, we are sending them here for training,” he said.

Beyond the training programme, the minister disclosed that both nations would strengthen military ties through joint exercises scheduled for later in the year.

“We will continue to do a lot. There will be exercises. The first exercise is coming up later in the year. So, in so many areas of defence, we are going to work together,” he said.

Musa further highlighted plans to deepen collaboration in defence production and technology transfer, describing Türkiye as a strategic partner in Nigeria’s military advancement.

He added that Türkiye’s expertise in counterterrorism would enhance Nigeria’s efforts to combat asymmetric security threats.

“We are going to partner together so that we have co-production of some of these items,” he added.

According to him, the partnership will also cover training exchanges, joint operations, equipment production, and the sharing of defence knowledge between both countries.