By Mike Odeh James
(Abuja) Nigerian soldiers openly say Boko Haram and ISWAP (Islamic State of West Africa) outgun them. A decade after troops mutinied over poor weapons, the problem remains.
“If they have the equipment, they are ready,” Ndume said. “They don’t have MRAPs, gun trucks, or the required ammunition,” notes former Senate Leader Ali Ndume, whose constituency absorbed major attacks in March 2026, warned that troops are overwhelmed by terrorist firepower.
The Global Terrorism Index recorded a 46 percent rise in Nigerian terrorism fatalities in 2025. President Bola Tinubu declared a nationwide security state of emergency in November. Against this backdrop, Abuja has moved to diversify its weapons pipeline
The Turkey Deal
On April 19, Defence Minister Christopher Musa confirmed that Nigeria and Turkey agreed to send 200 Nigerian special forces for elite training, joint defense production, and technology transfer.
“We have been fighting an asymmetric war for about 17 years, while Turkey has 40 years of experience,” Musa said.
Musa disclosed this in an interview on the sidelines of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2026) in Antalya, Türkiye, on Saturday, following discussions with his Turkish counterpart
The two countries agreed to a memorandum of understanding to trade Turkish high-tech weapons and defence cooperation, infrastructure development for Nigerian crude oil and minerals, according to Reuters.
The package includes advanced surveillance, drone platforms, satellite monitoring, counter-IED systems, and infantry fighting vehicles. A joint exercise is scheduled for later this year.
Nigeria received its first Bayraktar TB2 armed drones in October 2023 and operates T129 ATAK helicopters. In January 2026, Tinubu became the first Nigerian leader to visit Turkey in nine years, signing nine bilateral agreements. The Antalya deal operationalizes the defense pact.
Turkish terms are attractive: Bayraktar TB2s cost roughly a quarter of comparable Western drones. Ankara attaches no human-rights conditionality and accepts co-production. For a Nigerian command that watched Washington freeze arms sales over human rights concerns, the Turkish model is frictionless.
Washington remains the biggest supplier
Despite the pivot toward Turkey, the United States remains Nigeria’s single largest arms supplier by dollar volume.
The Pentagon recorded nearly $1 billion in approved Foreign Military Sales contracts with Nigeria between 2020 and 2024. The cornerstone is the A-29 Super Tucano package—12 light-attack aircraft delivered for nearly $500 million, the largest FMS program in sub-Saharan Africa.
In August 2025, Washington approved an additional $346 million munitions sale. A contract for Bell AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopters is scheduled for delivery later this year. Pilot training and civilian-casualty mitigation are built into every program.
The U.S.-Nigeria relationship deepened after coordinated airstrikes in December 2025. In February 2026, 200 American troops arrived at Bauchi Airfield with MQ-9 Reaper drones, standing up a joint intelligence cell.
What the Soldiers Get
For soldiers still complaining of 60-round allocations, the platforms matter more than diplomacy. The Reaper drone based in Bauchi State and Super Tucanos fighter bombers out based near Kainji Lake are the most advanced assistance any foreign partner has placed on Nigerian soil.
Ankara brings competitive drones and co-production. Washington brings strategic airlift, precision munitions, satellite intelligence, attack helicopters, and the only fleet capable of striking from a warship in the Gulf of Guinea.
The Turkey deal fills real gaps in training and drone inventory. The American relationship puts a Reaper over Sambisa Forest within an hour of a call from Defence Headquarters. A soldier with two magazines needs ammunition, a radio, medevac, and an ISR platform. On the current trajectory, the uniform most likely to deliver those is still American.
A Washington view: ‘Grasping at straws’
“The Erdoğan regime seeks to prop up struggling ‘Islamic’ governments against insurgents. They have been doing this in Libya and Somalia,” said Scott Morgan, a Washington-based security consultant specializing in African security.
On U.S.-Turkey rivalry: “I wouldn’t say the U.S. and Turkey are competing in Africa. Turkey is competing with the Saudis and the UAE. However, this proxy conflict is affecting U.S. interests,” Morgan added.
On Abuja’s diplomatic posture—which now includes security arrangements with Russia, France, and the UK, plus talks with Israel—the consultant pointed to overextension. “The current leadership is giving the impression they are grasping at straws while the violence continues.”
On the American footprint: “There are reports the U.S. has been conducting missions from Côte d’Ivoire and is constructing a base in Benin Republic. The presence of UAVs in Nigeria, the training of special forces—these show a commitment.”
Asked who Nigeria’s primary partner is, the consultant concluded with a warning: “Washington is treating Tinubu with some concerns. Ankara is looking for new proxies. The relationship will probably change after the 2028 election cycle. If we look at what has happened in Somalia since the Turkish entry, that may not bode well for Nigeria.”
Mike Odeh James is Conflict Reporter for TruthNigeria.
