Nigeria and Turkey have agreed to enhance bilateral relations, with a focus on visa facilitation, business mobility, and consular matters.
The agreement followed a meeting in Abuja between the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, who paid a courtesy visit.
Tunji-Ojo highlighted the strong historical and cultural ties between the two countries and Nigeria’s commitment to a “smart, structured, and practical approach to international cooperation” that promotes people-to-people contact and legitimate business engagement.
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“These ties provide a solid foundation for deeper collaboration,” he said.
Ambassador Poroy provided updates on improved visa facilitation for Nigerian businessmen travelling to Turkey, noting that “under the new arrangement, applications are processed locally, allowing verified businesspersons to benefit from faster processing timelines of about three to four days.”
He also raised concerns about Turkish businesspeople facing challenges when visiting Nigeria for trade fairs and investments, citing conflicting information about Nigerian visa arrangements. “We request written clarification to guide applicants accurately,” Poroy said.
A key proposal during the meeting was the inclusion of Turkey in Nigeria’s electronic visa (e-visa) system.
“The absence of a Nigerian visa office in Istanbul creates logistical challenges,” the Ambassador explained. “Including Turkey in the e-visa regime would significantly enhance business mobility for Turkish nationals.”
