The governments of Nigeria and the Republic of Türkiye have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in the solid minerals sector.
The agreement was signed during the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit held in Istanbul, Türkiye, according to a statement released by the Federal Government on Monday, May 25.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said the country is ready to leverage Türkiye’s technological expertise in mining exploration, digitisation, licensing systems, training, and capacity building to accelerate reforms in the sector.
Alake said President Bola Tinubu has fully backed efforts to strengthen bilateral relations between both countries in mining and energy development.
“Türkiye is one of the countries we are confident of building strong bilateral cooperation with, particularly in the area of solid minerals development. Nigeria is open to working with the Turkish government to strengthen governance structures, improve technical capacity, and advance sustainable mining development in our country,” he stated.
The minister, who also chairs the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, noted that reforms introduced in Nigeria’s mining sector over the past three years have improved the business environment and boosted investor confidence.
According to him, the Federal Government has implemented measures to sanitise the sector, improve ease of doing business, and create incentives for foreign investors interested in long-term partnerships in Nigeria.
“We have significantly improved the ease of doing business and strengthened institutional support for investors. Investors can now repatriate profits after due process, while government incentives have continued to attract serious mining stakeholders into Nigeria,” Alake said.
He added that the reforms had already attracted increased Foreign Direct Investment into the sector while reaffirming the government’s commitment to lawful mining operations and security.
Highlighting enforcement efforts against illegal mining, Alake said specially created Mining Marshals had intensified operations across the country.
“As of the latest count, over 300 illegal mining operators, including foreign nationals, have been arrested, while more than 150 prosecutions are currently ongoing. In addition, over 100 illegal mining sites have been recovered and returned to legitimate licence owners as part of efforts to restore investor confidence and strengthen lawful operations in the sector,” he said.
Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, described the partnership as strategic and timely, noting that global energy security requires stronger international cooperation.
Bayraktar commended the Nigerian government for the reforms introduced in the solid minerals sector and said Turkish companies were ready to invest in Nigeria.
“We are ready to invest in Nigeria because of the remarkable initiatives your government has put in place. We look forward to cooperation, support, and guidance that will enable both countries to achieve meaningful results,” he said.
The Turkish minister also disclosed that several Turkish industrial manufacturers were interested in expanding operations into Nigeria beyond mining, particularly in the energy and hydrocarbon sectors.
“Nigeria is a major player in the hydrocarbon industry. We would appreciate it if you convey to your President our desire to renew energy cooperation and contracts with Nigeria,” Bayraktar added.
Speaking during a panel session titled, “Energy Security in a Shifting Global Landscape: Connectivity and Cooperation,” Alake stressed the need for global peace to guarantee sustainable energy security.
“Without reducing conflicts around the world, economic imperatives and global energy security efforts will continue to face significant challenges. Without peace, discussions around energy security become difficult. The international community must work seriously towards peace if we truly want to guarantee sustainable energy security for the future,” he said.