Nigeria and Türkiye sign bilateral agreement to strengthen solid minerals sector

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Keypoints

• Nigeria and Türkiye have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the solid minerals sector.
• Strategic signings occurred between Dr Dele Alake and Alparslan Bayraktar during the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit.
• Law enforcement records confirmed the Mining Marshals unit has arrested over 300 illegal mining operators across the country.
• Security updates revealed that over 100 illegal mining sites have been successfully recovered and returned to legitimate licence owners.
• Trade expansions show Turkish companies are preparing investments in Nigeria’s mining, energy, and hydrocarbon sectors.

Main Story

Nigeria and Türkiye have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the solid minerals sector, in a move aimed at strengthening economic ties between both countries.

The agreement was signed by Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake and Alparslan Bayraktar, Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources on the sidelines of the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit (INRES).

This is contained in a statement issued by the Special Assistant to Alake, Lara Owoeye-Wise, on Monday in Abuja. Alake said Nigeria was ready to leverage Türkiye’s technological advancement and expertise in mining exploration, training, digitisation, licencing systems and capacity building to accelerate reforms and growth within the sector.

To evaluate intermediate law enforcement achievements, the federal government has deployed a specialized security architecture to clear out unauthorized mineral extractors.

Alake said President Tinubu’s administration created the Mining Marshals unit which had intensified the crackdown on illegal mining activities across the country.

He noted that the reforms had already triggered increased inflows of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the sector and reassured investors of government’s commitment to security and enforcing legal mining operations, thereby transforming the operating environment and making the sector more attractive to genuine investors.

Furthermore, international manufacturing syndicates are expanding their corporate presence beyond the solid minerals sector into wider energy markets.

Alparslan Bayraktar described the new partnership with Nigeria as strategic and timely, noting that global energy security now required stronger international cooperation and connectivity.

The Turkish minister said that several Turkish industrial manufacturers and companies were interested in expanding operations to Nigeria beyond the mining sector, particularly in energy and hydrocarbons, positioning Nigeria as a critical gateway for broader economic and energy partnerships across the continent.

The Issues

• Stopping illegal mining operations while systematically prosecuting arrested domestic and foreign nationals.
• Upgrading local mining exploration, digitization, and licensing technologies through international knowledge transfers.
• Sustaining global energy security and supply connectivity amidst shifting and volatile geopolitical landscapes.

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What’s Being Said

• Outlining the political backing behind the international trade alignment, Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dr Dele Alake stated: “Nigeria is open to working with the Turkish government to strengthen governance structures, improve technical capacity and advance sustainable mining development in our country,”
• Detailing the investment protections and capital rules established under current regulatory updates, he added: “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,”
• Presenting an audited checklist of security milestones achieved by the new enforcement branch, he explained: “As of the latest count, over 300 illegal mining operators, including foreign nationals have been arrested, while more than 150 prosecutions are currently ongoing.”
• Describing the successful reclamation of natural resource fields for legal corporate entities, he noted: “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,”
• Expressing corporate enthusiasm regarding the newly established regulatory frameworks, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar declared: “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,”

What’s Next

• The Mining Marshals unit will continue active field sweeps to monitor the 100 recovered mining sites and prevent re-encroachment.
• Legal departments within the Ministry of Solid Minerals will advance the 150 ongoing prosecutions against suspected illegal operators.
• Technical committees from both nations will establish frameworks to launch joint geological surveys and technology transfers for small-scale mining operations.

Bottom Line

Expanding on an initial 2021 framework at the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit, Nigeria and Türkiye have signed a new mining and energy MoU to transfer exploration technology and boost FDI, backed by Nigeria’s security recovery of over 100 illegal mining sites and the arrest of 300 unlawful operators.