The research aimed to determine the expression of the IRF7 gene in the liver and spleen tissues of Nigerian local and exotic turkeys and their immune response to sheep red blood cells. A total of sixty (60) poults, made up of 30 each of Nigerian local and exotic (Hybrid converter) turkeys, were used for this study. It was observed that the antibody titres of Nigerian local turkey were significantly (P< 0.05) higher (0.086) before inoculation, while at day 2, 14 and 21 after inoculation, the exotic turkey had significantly (P< 0.05) higher antibody titres. The △CT and relative expression of the IRF7 gene were not significantly (P>0.05) affected by the turkey genotype. The findings demonstrated that exotic turkeys could be successfully raised in a tropical environment as long as sufficient vaccinations were available to promote acquired immunity in this population. Additionally, the data on the IRF7 gene could contribute to the body of knowledge already available on the expression of the IRF7 gene in both local and exotic Nigerian turkeys.