Nigeria and Türkiye Sign Mining MoU at Istanbul Summit

Nigeria and the Republic of Türkiye signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the solid minerals sector during the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit. The agreement pairs Turkish technological expertise in mining exploration, digitization, licensing systems, and capacity building with Nigeria's ongoing efforts to reform its mining sector and attract foreign direct investment.

Dele Alake, Nigeria's Minister of Solid Minerals Development, signed the MoU and reported that recent reforms have already improved the investment climate and increased foreign direct investment. Nigerian authorities have arrested over 300 illegal mining operators and deployed Mining Marshals to combat illicit extraction. Alake stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu fully backs the partnership with Türkiye as part of a broader push to improve governance and draw capital into the sector.

Türkiye's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, described the partnership as strategic and expressed the readiness of Turkish companies to invest in Nigeria's mining, energy, and hydrocarbon sectors. Bayraktar positioned Nigeria as a critical gateway for Türkiye's broader economic expansion across African markets, signaling that the MoU extends beyond minerals into wider commercial engagement between the two countries.