CYRIL MBAH, Abuja
Nigeria and the Republic of Türkiye have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the solid minerals sector, marking a new phase in economic collaboration between both countries.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit on May 22, 2026. It sets the framework for joint work in mining exploration, training, digitisation, licensing systems and capacity building.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said the partnership would help accelerate reforms and growth in the sector by leveraging Türkiye’s technological expertise. He noted that President Bola Tinubu had given full backing to the initiative.
“Türkiye is one of the countries we are confident of building strong bilateral cooperation with, particularly in solid minerals development,” Alake stated.
He added that Nigeria was open to working with Türkiye to strengthen governance structures and advance sustainable mining.
Alake, who also chairs the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, said reforms introduced over the past three years had improved the operating environment and made the sector more attractive to investors.
He cited measures to sanitise operations, improve ease of doing business, and offer incentives for long-term partnerships.
According to the minister, investors can now repatriate profits after due process, while government incentives have drawn serious mining stakeholders into Nigeria.
He said the reforms had already led to increased inflows of foreign direct investment.
Alake also highlighted the government’s crackdown on illegal mining through the Mining Marshals. He disclosed that over 300 operators, including foreign nationals, had been arrested, with more than 150 prosecutions ongoing and over 100 illegal sites recovered and returned to licensed operators.
Responding, Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, described the partnership as strategic and timely.
He said global energy security now demands stronger international cooperation and connectivity.
Bayraktar commended Nigeria’s reforms and said Turkish companies were eager to invest. He added that several Turkish manufacturers were interested in expanding into Nigeria beyond mining, particularly in energy and hydrocarbons.
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