The Federal Government and the Republic of Türkiye have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit held in Istanbul, Türkiye. Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said……
The Federal Government and the Republic of Türkiye have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit held in Istanbul, Türkiye.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said the partnership would enable Nigeria to benefit from Türkiye’s technological advancement and expertise in areas such as mining exploration, digitisation, licensing systems, manpower training and capacity building.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise.
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According to Alake, President Bola Tinubu has fully supported efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation between both countries, especially 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. Nigeria is open to working with the Turkish government to strengthen governance structures, improve technical capacity, and advance sustainable mining development in our country,” the minister said.
Alake, who also chairs the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, stated that reforms introduced in the solid minerals sector over the last three years have improved the operating environment and attracted increased investor confidence.
He said the Federal Government had introduced measures aimed at sanitising the sector, improving ease of doing business and encouraging long-term foreign investment partnerships.
“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,” he stated.
The minister further disclosed that the reforms had already led to increased Foreign Direct Investment inflows into the mining sector.
He added that the Federal Government remained committed to securing mining operations and tackling illegal activities through the Mining Marshals initiative.
“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,” Alake said.
Speaking after signing the agreement, Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, described the partnership as strategic and timely.
Bayraktar commended the Nigerian government for reforms introduced in the mining sector and expressed the readiness of Turkish companies 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 achieve meaningful results,” he said.
He also revealed that several Turkish firms 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.
The Turkish minister noted that Türkiye was expanding economic engagement across Africa, with Nigeria considered a strategic gateway for broader partnerships on the continent.
Meanwhile, speaking during a panel session titled “Energy Security in a Shifting Global Landscape: Connectivity and Cooperation,” Alake stressed the importance of peace and global stability to achieving 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.