Turkey Eases Entry for Nigerian Business Travellers

During a courtesy visit to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike in Abuja, Turkish Ambassador Mehmet Poroy announced a streamlined visa regime and plans for a new Lagos consulate, signalling Ankara’s push to deepen trade and investment ties with Nigeria.

By Abdullahi Yusuf

The Republic of Turkey has introduced a simplified and faster visa process for Nigerian business travelers, a major policy shift Ankara says will unlock new opportunities in bilateral trade.

Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, announced the development during a courtesy visit to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in Abuja. Poroy said the move aligns with Turkey’s push to boost commercial engagement with Africa’s largest economy.

“We have facilitated visa procedures for businessmen so they can travel easily. We no longer need to ask Ankara for their visa. At the embassy, we can give it directly under certain conditions,” he said.

The envoy also revealed that Turkey has completed internal procedures to open a Consulate General in Lagos, which he described as “a strategic step” to strengthen trade, investment and people-to-people links between both countries.

Poroy, who assumed duty in Abuja nearly six months ago, thanked Wike for the FCT’s support to Turkish nationals, adding that Abuja has been “a comfortable and productive base” for strengthening relations.

PEACE Magazine learned that the relaxation of visa requirements followed months of consultations between Ankara and Nigerian business groups, many of whom complained that long approval times were slowing down exports, construction partnerships and technology projects involving Turkish companies.

Diplomatic sources also confirmed that the planned Lagos consulate is part of a broader Turkish strategy to expand its diplomatic footprint in West Africa amid rising trade volumes in textiles, building materials, defence technology and agro-business.

In his response, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike commended Turkey’s decision, saying visa delays had long discouraged Nigerian investors and Abuja-based entrepreneurs seeking commercial opportunities in Istanbul and other Turkish cities.

“Businessmen who want to go to Turkey will now not find it difficult. This is a very welcome development,” Wike said.

He added that the FCTA remains committed to providing a safe and enabling environment for foreign investors, noting that ties between Abuja and Turkish cities will continue to expand under the new framework.

“We intend to provide a free environment where citizens, without molestation, can carry out their businesses. Our relationship with Turkey has been very cordial, and we want to improve on it,” he said.

Poroy’s meeting with the minister is one of his earliest high-level engagements as he awaits the formal presentation of his letter of credence to President Bola Tinubu.

SPONSORED

SPONSORED

SPONSORED

SPONSORED