Ankara, Türkiye — January 27–28, 2026
The Vice President of the Association of Nigerian Scholars and Students in Ankara (ANSSA), Suleiman Aliyu Bello, and the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Turkish Chapter, Mr. Caleb, were present as student representatives and delegates during the historic official visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria to the Republic of Türkiye.
The visit marked a major milestone in Nigeria–Türkiye relations, with both countries signing multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) across key sectors including trade, education, defence, media, diaspora affairs, and investment.
Official Events and Agreements
On January 27, the ANSSA Vice President and the NANS President attended a formal dinner hosted by the Turkish Government, organized to commemorate the strengthening of bilateral relations and the successful conclusion of high-level talks between Nigeria and Türkiye.
During the visit, nine cooperation agreements and MoUs were signed in the presence of President Tinubu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. These included frameworks for higher education cooperation, diaspora policy coordination, defence collaboration, media and communication exchange, and the establishment of a Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO). Both leaders reiterated a shared goal of increasing bilateral trade volume to $5 billion.
Informal Interactions with Nigerian Officials
Also on January 27, within the broader context of the official visit, the ANSSA Vice President and the NANS President held informal, non-official interactions with senior Nigerian government officials, including the Minister of Defence, the Minister of the Interior, and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.
These interactions provided an opportunity for the student representatives to exchange views on issues affecting Nigerian students and scholars in Türkiye, particularly in areas related to security, student welfare, mobility, and access to emerging opportunities arising from strengthened Nigeria–Türkiye relations. The discussions were informal in nature and focused on understanding how evolving bilateral cooperation could positively impact students.
Diaspora Engagement and Roundtable Observation
On January 28, the student representatives attended a Nigerian Diaspora Engagement Meeting organized by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), which focused on strengthening diaspora participation, communication, and cooperation.
At the meeting, Nigerian attendees were encouraged to register with NIDCOM so they can be better connected to programs, opportunities, and updates from the Nigerian government. Nigerian students and diaspora members can register at the official NIDCOM registry here: https://nidcom.gov.ng/registry/.
Later that day, they observed a Turkey–Nigeria Roundtable Discussion, attended by senior officials from Türkiye’s Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Industry, alongside Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, and other public- and private-sector stakeholders.
The roundtable featured a presentation by the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), led by Aisha Rimi, who encouraged Turkish businesses to explore investment opportunities in Nigeria and highlighted priority sectors for investment.
Student Representation and Outlook
The presence of ANSSA and NANS representatives at these high-level engagements underscores the importance of student representation in diaspora-related discussions and reflects the growing recognition of Nigerian students and scholars in Türkiye as stakeholders in Nigeria–Türkiye relations.
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