First lady Emine Erdoğan and Nigerian first lady Oluremi Tinubu emphasized the importance of cultural exchange and women's empowerment, as they met on Saturday.

Tinubu visited Istanbul at the invitation of Emine Erdoğan, and the two met at the Vahdettin Pavilion in Istanbul.

During the meeting, Tinubu expressed her gratitude to Erdoğan for the invitation and hospitality.

Erdoğan congratulated Tinubu and her husband, who took office a year ago.

Erdoğan emphasized Nigeria's rich culture and population, highlighting Nigeria's importance as a friendly country for Türkiye and expressing her belief that relations would strengthen and grow under Tinubu's tenure.

Erdoğan noted Türkiye's sincere relations with African countries, stating their commitment to providing support and assistance to African nations.

Tinubu acknowledged Erdoğan's special interest in and support for Africa, stating that she closely follows her initiatives.

Erdoğan told Tinubu about the Africa Handicrafts and Culture House, where handmade products by African women are sold, and the women get the proceeds.

Tinubu praised the project, stating that Nigeria's diverse ethnic groups and languages contribute to its cultural richness and expressing her pleasure in promoting this richness through the Africa Handicrafts and Culture House project.

In 2016, first lady Emine Erdoğan attended the inauguration of the African Handicraft Market and Culture House in Ankara, which aims to aid African women.

Adopting a single-dimensional foreign policy shaped by its relations with the West for decades, Türkiye has shifted its direction to a more diversified, multidimensional and independent foreign policy since the end of the Cold War. Türkiye's opening up to Africa, which dates back to the action plan adopted in 1998, took shape in 2005 when it was declared the "Year of Africa" by Ankara, and Türkiye was accorded observer status by the Africa Union the same year.

In a reciprocal move, the African Union declared Türkiye its strategic partner in 2008, and relations between Africa and Türkiye gained momentum when the first Türkiye-Africa Cooperation Summit was held in the commercial capital Istanbul with the participation of representatives from 50 African countries that year.

Ankara has frequently reaffirmed that Türkiye’s approach in its ever-growing relations with African countries is based on equal partnership and a win-win principle, emphasizing the strong will to further develop commercial ties.