Nigeria and Türkiye have agreed on a new MoU in order to expand collaboration in the solid minerals sector in order to boost economic relations between both countries and encourage investment across the mining and energy sectors.
The Nigerian Minister for Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, and Alparslan Bayraktar, the Minister for Energy and Natural Resources of Türkiye, signed the mining cooperation agreement on the sidelines of the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit, a statement issued on May 25, 2026, in Abuja stated.
The pact builds on the previous mining cooperation agreement agreed upon between the two countries in 2021 and extends to areas such as mineral exploration, geological surveys, digitised licensing systems, technology transfer, human capital development, and joint mining projects.
“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 said.
Apparently, President Bola Tinubu has supported efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Türkiye through mining and energy, the minister said, adding that current reforms had benefited the investment climate for global mining companies.
Alake said the government has put into effect measures to formalize mining operations, improve regulatory transparency and provide institutional backing for investors.
“We have significantly improved the ease of doing business and strengthened institutional support for investors,” he said, adding that foreign investors can repatriate their profits after undergoing regulatory compliance procedures.
According to the minister, the reforms were already helping support rising inflows of foreign direct investment into the mining sector, considered by Nigerian authorities as an essential component of strategic expansion that could generate earnings from exports, industrial inputs and fiscal revenues.
Alake also spoke on the vigilance on illegal mining activities implemented by the Tinubu administration, noting that the introduction of a dedicated mining marshals unit has strengthened enforcement efforts across the country.
More than 300 illegal mining operators, which include foreigners, have been arrested, and over 150 prosecutions are pending, he said. Authorities have also taken back over 100 illegal mining sites and given them back to licensed operators in an attempt to rebuild investor confidence and boost legal compliance in the industry.
The deal is part of a wider strategy for Turkey to broaden commercial and energy partnerships throughout African markets as Ankara expands its geopolitical and trade ties across the continent.
The alliance with Nigeria is strategic and timely, says Bayraktar, adding that rivalry for critical minerals and energy security is increasing around the world, so international cooperation for resources is becoming increasingly important.
“We are ready to invest in Nigeria because of the wonderful initiatives your government has put in place,” Bayraktar stated, further adding that Turkish companies were looking for possibilities not just in the mining sector but also in Nigeria’s energy and hydrocarbons sectors.
He said Türkiye had an eye on renewing agreements on energy cooperation with Nigeria, which is still one of the continent’s largest hydrocarbon producers and major supplier of natural gas and crude oil.
Bayraktar said Nigeria’s market size and base of resources made it an entry point for greater Turkish economic engagement in Africa.
The importance of geopolitical stability and conflict mitigation to long-term global energy security as well as sustainable mineral supply chains remains critical, stated Alake during a summit panel discussion related to energy security as well as global connectivity.
The push to broaden international mining partnerships is part of a broader government effort so as to unlock the vast untapped mineral reserves of Nigeria, which include lithium, gold, limestone, and bitumen as well as rare earth deposits, as global demand for transitional energy materials grows, analysts say.