Nigeria and Türkiye have signed a new bilateral agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation in the mining sector as both countries seek to deepen economic ties and unlock opportunities in mineral exploration, processing, and industrial development.
The agreement was signed between Nigeria’s Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and Turkish government representatives during a high-level engagement focused on expanding technical and investment collaboration in the mining industry.
According to Nigerian officials, the partnership will cover areas such as mineral exploration, geological data exchange, mining technology transfer, capacity development, and investment promotion. The collaboration is also expected to support local mineral beneficiation and value addition initiatives.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, stated that the agreement aligns with the Federal Government’s strategy to reposition mining as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda. He noted that stronger international partnerships are essential for developing the country’s vast but underutilised mineral resources.
The partnership is expected to encourage Turkish investors and mining companies to explore opportunities within Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, particularly in areas such as gold, lithium, barite, limestone, and other strategic minerals critical to industrial production and energy transition technologies.
Officials also highlighted plans for technical training and knowledge-sharing programmes aimed at improving local expertise in mineral processing, environmental management, and mining operations.
Industry stakeholders say the agreement could support Nigeria’s ambitions to move beyond raw mineral exports by developing domestic processing and refining capacity capable of creating jobs, increasing export earnings, and strengthening industrial value chains.
The development comes amid increasing global demand for critical minerals used in electric vehicles, renewable energy infrastructure, batteries, and advanced manufacturing technologies. Nigeria has recently intensified efforts to attract foreign investment into mining while tightening regulations around illegal mining and raw mineral exports.
Analysts believe strategic partnerships such as the Nigeria–Türkiye agreement could help accelerate technology transfer, infrastructure development, and financing for Nigeria’s mining industry, which remains one of the country’s most underdeveloped but potentially high-growth sectors.
