Niger president says Erdogan asked Turkish defense contractors to deliver first, accept payment later

Levent Kenez/Stockholm

Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tchiani said Thursday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had asked Turkish defense companies to supply military hardware to Niger and arrange payment later, offering an unusually public account of the financial support that has accompanied Ankara’s expansion of defense ties across Africa.

Speaking during an official visit to Turkey, Tchiani thanked Erdogan for his intervention after Niger expressed concerns over the financial burden of military purchases as the West African country faces growing security threats across the Sahel.

“When we expressed our concerns to your colleagues, to your friends in the defense industry, you actually gave an instruction and said, ‘Do whatever is necessary for them, and you can get paid later,'” Tchiani said. “For this, I thank you very much, you and the State, for trusting us in this way. »

The remarks offer a rare glimpse into one of the mechanisms underlying Turkey’s growing influence in parts of Africa, where Ankara is increasingly combining its defense exports with military training, technical assistance and financing deals aimed at governments facing pressing security needs and limited budgets.

Tchiani’s visit comes as Turkey and Niger continue to deepen their relations which have developed rapidly in recent years, particularly in the security sector. While Turkish officials have long promoted defense cooperation as part of broader Africa policy, public references to deferred payment deals are rare.

For Niger, security remains a major concern. This country of about 27 million people is located in the center of the Sahel, a vast semi-arid region stretching across Africa that has become one of the most volatile security environments in the world. Armed groups affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and al-Qaeda operate in parts of Niger and neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, carrying out attacks against military forces and civilians. Vast desert terrains, porous borders and weak state presence in remote regions have complicated counterinsurgency efforts for years.

Security challenges have pushed Niger’s military leaders to seek additional surveillance, reconnaissance and strike capabilities while diversifying international partnerships.

Turkey has become an increasingly important supplier. Niger has acquired Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, armored vehicles and other military equipment in recent years. Reports have also linked the country to additional purchases from Turkey’s defense sector as Niamey seeks to strengthen its capabilities against insurgent groups operating on its territory.

Among the systems associated with Niger’s modernization efforts is the Aksungur unmanned aerial vehicle produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries. The platform is designed for long-endurance surveillance and strike missions and can carry a range of precision-guided munitions. Niger has also previously been linked to Turkey’s HÜRKUŞ light attack aircraft programs as it seeks to expand its aerial capabilities.

On April 7, 2026, Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and Nigerien Defense Minister General Salifou Mody signed a protocol providing on-site military training support for Nigerien forces. The agreement expanded an existing military cooperation framework that already included training programs in Türkiye for Nigerien personnel operating Turkish-made systems.

The combination of equipment sales, training and financing has become a recurring feature of Turkey’s defense relations in Africa. Over the past two decades, Ankara has transformed its presence on the continent through an aggressive diplomatic, trade and security outreach campaign. Turkey has expanded its network of embassies across Africa, increased its high-level political engagement and sought to play a greater economic role in sectors ranging from infrastructure and construction to mining and energy.

Defense exports have become one of the most visible elements of this strategy. Turkish-made drones have gained prominence in several conflict zones and attracted customers in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. Turkish defense companies market not only equipment, but also training, maintenance support and logistical assistance, enabling governments to acquire and maintain military capabilities without relying exclusively on traditional Western suppliers. The financing terms seem to have become an additional selling point.

Turkey’s broader engagement with Africa has also been accompanied by an expansion of trade. Trade between Turkey and African countries has increased significantly over the past two decades, from around $5 billion in the early 2000s to more than $37 billion in recent years, according to official Turkish figures.

Although trade with Niger remains relatively modest, commercial links have seen steady growth. According to United Nations trade data, Turkish exports to Niger totaled around $101 million in 2024, while imports from Niger reached around $39 million. Turkish exports included machinery, electrical equipment, vehicles, food products and manufactured goods, while imports consisted largely of agricultural products and oilseeds.

Turkish companies have also exploited opportunities in infrastructure, transportation, energy and mining projects across the Sahel, reflecting Ankara’s broader efforts to convert diplomatic and political engagement into long-term economic relations.

Turkey’s growing role in Africa has not been without controversy. Opposition politicians and some critics of Erdogan’s government have regularly claimed that Ankara’s growing political connections abroad could create business opportunities for Turkish companies close to Erdogan.

For Ankara, Niger represents one of many strategically important partners in a region undergoing significant geopolitical changes. The influence of former colonial power France has declined sharply in parts of the Sahel in recent years, as regional governments increasingly seek new security and economic partnerships.

Turkey has positioned itself as one of the countries seeking to occupy part of this space, offering military equipment, training, diplomatic engagement and commercial cooperation.

Nordic Monitor previously reported that Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) had also established an expanded presence in Niger as part of Ankara’s broader strategy to increase its influence across Africa. The report describes Niger as a strategically important hub connecting North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, where Turkish intelligence activities intersect with foreign policy, defense cooperation and economic engagement since Niger’s 2023 military takeover and subsequent realignment of its international partnerships.

Turkish public institutions and affiliated organizations are described as operating alongside diplomatic channels in Niger, contributing to Ankara’s presence through development aid programs, educational initiatives and religious foundations.