Nigeria and Turkey have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in the solid minerals sector.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit in Istanbul, according to a statement from Lara Owoeye-Wise, special assistant on media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Dele Alake said Nigeria is ready to work with Turkey to apply its expertise in mining exploration, training, digitisation, licensing systems, and capacity building to support reforms and growth in the sector. He said President Bola Tinubu supports efforts to deepen bilateral ties with Turkey in mining and energy.
Alake noted that reforms over the past three years have improved the ease of doing business, strengthened institutional support for investors, and increased foreign direct investment in the sector. He added that the government has intensified action against illegal mining through mining marshals, with over 300 operators arrested, more than 150 prosecutions ongoing, and over 100 illegal sites recovered.
Turkey’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, described the partnership as strategic and timely. He said Turkish companies are interested in investing in Nigeria and expanding into energy and hydrocarbons, and called for renewed energy cooperation between both countries.
