TAI has offered to establish an Anka UAV production facility in Nigeria. This proposal is an exciting opportunity for the country to capitalize on the growing demand for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
İsmail Yusuf Abba, Nigeria’s ambassador to Ankara, stated at the Institute of Strategic Thinking (SDE) International Diplomacy School that Turkish Aerospace offered Nigeria to establish an ANKA UAV factory in Nigeria.
Anka UAVs are a highly advanced technology, capable of long-range, long-endurance missions, remote sensing and intelligence gathering. They are also incredibly cost-effective and reliable, making them attractive to both the military and civilian sectors. With the production facility in Nigeria, the country would be able to leverage the latest advancements in UAV technology to further its strategic objectives.
“There are a lot of things going on defence sector between Nigeria and Turkiye, and in fact, very recently, Turkish Aerospace offered to establish a factory for the ANKA drone in Nigeria. That will be a new milestone.” the Ambassador replied to TurkishTurdef’s enquiry.
The production facility would bring numerous economic benefits to Nigeria. It would create jobs, stimulate investment and help the country become a leader in the UAV industry. Furthermore, it would enable Nigeria to develop its own UAVs and related technologies, thereby driving innovation and creating new opportunities. The facility would also enable Nigeria to take advantage of the potential of UAVs to reduce the cost of operations and increase the effectiveness of surveillance.
Overall, the Anka UAV production facility proposed by TAI would be a great opportunity for Nigeria, providing the country with numerous economic, technological and strategic benefits. With the facility in place, Nigeria would be able to tap into the potential of UAVs and gain access to the latest advancements in the industry. By investing in the facility, Nigeria would be taking a major step towards becoming a leader in the UAV industry.
Nevertheless, it is not yet certain if Abuja accepted the business, instead, Nigeria opted for the Bayraktar TB2 drone rather than the Anka UAV. Nigeria ordered 6 Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs along with 2 Ground Control Stations.
The Bayraktar TB2 is a combat-proven UAV system which has been successfully deployed to several conflicts around the world. Most especially, Libya, Syria, Ukraine. Bayraktar TB2 armed drones have gained large business recently after their successes in combat over three active war zones in 2020.
Turkey has been enjoying high demand for collaboration with African countries. In Africa, the TB2 Bayraktar model is in high demand after it was used during the conflicts in Libya and Azerbaijan’s breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the past few years. The type has been sold to several African militaries including Morocco, Nigér, and Ethiopia.
Turkey and Nigeria have had a longstanding military relationship that dates back to the 1960s. Over the years, the two countries have engaged in various military cooperation and training programs, including the exchange of military officers and joint military exercises.
The military relationship between Turkey and Nigeria is one that has continued to grow over the years, driven by mutual interests in security and stability in the region.
In recent years, the military relationship between Turkey and Nigeria has strengthened, particularly in the areas of defence procurement and counter-terrorism. Turkey has provided Nigeria with military hardware, including drones and armoured vehicles, to help the country fight against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups.
In 2018, Turkey and Nigeria signed a defence agreement that aimed to enhance their military cooperation. The agreement included provisions for joint military training, intelligence sharing, and defence production. Two years later, the Nigerian Army and its Turkish counterpart pledged to strengthen military bilateral relations between both countries to tackle terrorism.
The agreement was announced on Monday 30 August 2021, when the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Hidaye Bayraktar paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, at the Army Headquarters, Abuja.
Last year, Nigeria and Turkey entered talks on defence collaboration in counter-terrorism support as well as the acquisition of various military hardware which may include attack helicopters, armed drones, and other infantry systems. Fly Bvlos Technology, a subsidiary of Coşkunöz Holding operating in Gebze Technical University Dronepark, exported 30 Delta UAVs to Nigeria. ASISGUARD exported SONGAR armed drone to Nigerian Police.
Nigeria is in dire need of armed attack helicopters and drones for its counter-terror operations which Turkey hopes to supply in its drive to replace predominantly Chinese, Russian, and Western suppliers.
Nigeria and Turkey first began talks aimed at improving their defence ties on August 31, 2021, during the visit of the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Hidaye Bayraktar paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, at the Army Headquarters, Abuja.