The rationale behind the four agreements signed between Niger and Turkey.

Four official agreements were recently signed during a visit where Niger’s ruling military council leader Abdourahamane Tiani met with the Turkish president. The agreements covered higher education, trade, health, and diplomatic training. The two leaders held bilateral talks followed by expanded discussions at the delegation level, before attending the signing ceremony and a joint press conference.

The agreements included a cooperation protocol in higher education covering 2026-2030, a joint declaration on establishing a joint committee for economic and trade cooperation, a protocol on joint operation and expansion of the Turkish-Niger Friendship Hospital, and a memorandum of understanding between the Diplomatic Academy of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Institute for Diplomatic and Strategic Studies in Niger.

The discussions also covered cooperation in defense industries, security, energy, mining, trade, and investment, in addition to the signed agreements.

Context of the Visit

Tiani arrived in Ankara leading a delegation of 10 ministers, in his first official visit outside the African continent since taking power after the 2023 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. Niger seeks to diversify its international alliances after strained relations with its former colonial power, amid growing security threats from armed groups.

Niger was described as one of Turkey’s closest friends on the continent, with Turkey stating it stands by Niger against groups that “destabilize, especially in the Sahel region.”

Both sides discussed closer cooperation in military training and intelligence. The Turkish Maarif Foundation runs 12 schools in the capital with over 1,700 students, and about 500 Nigerien students are enrolled in Turkish universities.

Tiani noted that the Turkish president’s official visit to Niger on January 8, 2013, when he was prime minister, marked the beginning of a new phase in bilateral relations, and that ties between the two countries date back to the Ottoman era, with formal diplomatic relations established in 1966.

He expressed particular interest in the Turkish-Niger Friendship Hospital, which serves the most vulnerable groups in Niger, especially women, and welcomed the signed protocol for its expansion. He noted that Nigerien armed forces are now equipped with Turkish military vehicles and systems that have contributed to enhancing security and stability as the country faces what he described as terrorism. Addressing the Turkish president, he said: “You have helped the people of Niger feel more secure and at peace.”

Turkey is a key defense partner for Niger and a major supplier of military equipment to Sahel countries. The TB2 and Akinci drones produced by Turkish company Baykar are among the most sought-after drones by African armies. Nigerien media reported that the visit also aims to attract Turkish investments in uranium, gold, and oil sectors.