Nigeria and Turkey have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in the solid minerals sector.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit (INRES) held in Istanbul, Türkiye.
According to a statement from the Nigerian Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, the partnership is expected to deepen economic ties between the two countries.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said the country is ready to tap into Turkey’s technological expertise in areas such as mining exploration, training, digitisation, licensing systems, and capacity building.
Alake noted that President Bola Tinubu has given full support to initiatives aimed at enhancing bilateral relations with Turkey in the mining and energy sectors.
“Türkiye is one of the countries we are confident of building strong bilateral cooperation with, particularly in the area of solid minerals development,” the minister said.
He added that Nigeria is open to collaborating with the Turkish government to improve governance structures, technical capacity, and sustainable mining practices.
The minister highlighted recent reforms in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, which have improved the ease of doing business, strengthened institutional support for investors, and enabled profit repatriation.
These changes, he said, have attracted increased foreign direct investment (FDI) into the sector.Alake also assured investors of the government’s commitment to security and lawful operations, noting that mining marshals have intensified efforts against illegal mining.
Over 300 illegal operators, including foreign nationals, have been arrested, with more than 150 prosecutions ongoing and over 100 illegal sites recovered.
Turkey Ready to InvestIn response, Turkey’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, described the partnership as strategic and timely.
He commended Nigeria’s reforms and stated that Turkish companies are eager to invest in the country’s mining sector.
“We are ready to invest in Nigeria because of the remarkable initiatives your government has put in place,” Bayraktar said.
He added that several Turkish firms are also interested in expanding into Nigeria’s energy and hydrocarbon sectors beyond mining, and expressed Turkey’s desire to renew broader energy cooperation with Nigeria.
The Turkish minister further noted that Nigeria serves as a key gateway for Turkey’s expanding economic and energy partnerships across Africa.
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