BWALA: TINUBU FOCUSES ON DEFENCE, SECURITY, AND ECONOMY DURING TURKEY TRIP

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By: Fasasi Hammad

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, says the Nigerian president’s visit to Turkey is strategic and anchored in concrete national interests.

Tinubu arrived in Turkey on Monday for a state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations. Speaking to journalists in Ankara, the Turkish capital, Bwala explained that the trip was undertaken at the invitation of the Turkish government and reflects Tinubu’s influence as a former ECOWAS leader and Nigeria’s growing prominence on the African continent.

“No, it’s not another trip. It’s a strategic trip,” Bwala said. “It’s an invitation by this government because the President of Nigeria was a leader of ECOWAS and a person of influence in Africa.”

Bwala highlighted Nigeria’s recent progress in economy, security, and politics as adding further significance to the visit.

“With the exceptional breakthroughs in all fields in Nigeria, the president arrived today for the state visit. From tomorrow, we’ll explore areas of mutual interest, particularly in defence, security, and the economy,” he stated.

He noted that relevant ministers accompanied the president to facilitate sector-specific bilateral discussions. “We have ministers responsible for the areas we intend to discuss. They are also on this trip and ready to go,” Bwala said.

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On Nigeria’s growing engagement with Middle Eastern countries, Bwala referenced Tinubu’s recent diplomatic success in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), noting, “The president is a very influential leader, known by world leaders for his leadership and personality.”

Bwala emphasized Turkey’s capabilities in security and defence as aligning with Nigeria’s needs. “Historically, they are strong in security and have the capacity to produce weapons critical to Nigeria,” he said.

He also pointed to longstanding bilateral ties, saying, “Over the years, you will see investments by the Turkish government and people in Nigeria, as well as the value Nigeria has brought to the Republic of Turkey.”

Describing the visit as a meeting of shared interests with tangible outcomes, Bwala added, “This is a shared meeting for shared interests. We look forward to providing information on the deliverables that will come from it. You can see the excitement here about the discussions scheduled for tomorrow.”

Bwala concluded that details of agreements and focus areas would be made public after the deliberations.