Nigeria and Türkiye signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), on the sidelines of the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit to broaden cooperation in the solid‑minerals industry.
The agreement, announced Monday, aims to leverage Turkish technology and expertise in mining exploration, training, digitization and licensing systems to help accelerate reforms and investment in Nigeria’s minerals sector, Dele Alake, Nigeria’s minister of solid minerals development, said at the signing ceremony.
According to a statement by Lara Owoeye-Wise, the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, “Nigeria is open to working with the Turkish government to strengthen governance structures, improve technical capacity and advance sustainable mining development.”
He added that President Bola Tinubu has given full backing to efforts to deepen ties with Türkiye across mining and energy.
Minister Alake framed the MoU as part of a broader push to make Nigeria more attractive to foreign investors. He said reforms implemented over the past three years have improved the ease of doing business, clarified repatriation rules for profits and increased institutional support for investors. Those changes, he said, have contributed to rising foreign direct investment into the sector.
The Minister also described stepped‑up enforcement against illegal mining: more than 300 alleged illegal operators, including foreign nationals, have been arrested, he said, and over 150 prosecutions are under way. Authorities have reclaimed more than 100 illicit mining sites and restored them to licensed operators.
Türkiye’s Minister of energy and natural resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, called the pact “strategic and timely,” saying global energy security requires closer international cooperation.
Mr. Bayraktar praised Nigeria’s reforms and said Turkish firms are prepared to invest, not only in mining but also in energy and hydrocarbon projects.
“Nigeria is a major player in the hydrocarbon industry,” he said, urging renewed energy cooperation and contracts between the two countries.
Bayraktar added that Türkiye sees Nigeria as a gateway to expanding engagement across African markets.
The MoU does not specify financial commitments or concrete project timelines.
NewsQuest reports that the fresh deal signals Ankara’s continued interest in African natural‑resource opportunities and Abuja’s push to convert recent policy changes into tangible foreign investment.
