Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tchiani in Ankara on Thursday, underscoring Türkiye’s growing engagement with Africa’s Sahel region as geopolitical alliances continue to shift.
Following talks between the two leaders, delegations from both countries signed a range of agreements covering defence, security, trade and economic cooperation.
At a joint press conference, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue expanding its partnerships across the African continent based on “equal partnership, mutual respect and common interest”.
“We are determined to strengthen our cooperation with African countries on the basis of mutual benefit,” he told reporters.
He also voiced solidarity with African states facing militant violence, including Niger, across the Sahel region.
Stretching across the southern reaches of North Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, the Sahel has undergone a profound political transformation in recent years.
Over the past six years, a series of military coups has swept through the region, beginning in Mali in 2020 before spreading to Burkina Faso and later Niger.
In 2023, Tchiani, an army general, came to power following the overthrow of his predecessor, Mohamed Bazoum.
The three military-led governments have since withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and formed a new regional bloc known as the Alliance of Sahel States.
They have also reduced military and political ties with the West, especially former colonial power France, while significantly expanding relations with Russia.
Against this backdrop, Türkiye has expanded its presence across Africa, including the Sahel, through a combination of diplomatic outreach, trade initiatives, infrastructure projects and defence cooperation.
Speaking alongside Tchiani on Thursday, Erdoğan said Türkiye’s approach to Africa was based on long-term partnerships rather than competition among global powers.
According to analysts, the meeting in Ankara reflects both Niger’s search for new international partners and Türkiye’s ambition to play a larger role in a region undergoing a major geopolitical realignment.
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