The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says Nigeria would continue to
strengthen bilateral relations particularly in visa facilitation and business mobility
with Turkey.
Tunji-Ojo stated this while receiving the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, His
Excellency Mehmet Poroy, during a courtesy visit at the Ministry of Interior
Headquarters in Abuja.
In a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by Head, Press and Public Relations, Mrs
Mary Ali, the Minister described the meeting as substantive and timely.
He noted that Nigeria and Turkey share strong historical and cultural ties that
provide a solid foundation for deeper collaboration.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to a smart, structured, and practical approach
to international cooperation that supports people-to-people contact and legitimate
business engagement.
Tunji-Ojo assured that denying visas to genuine Nigerian or Turkish business
people was not in the interest of either country, emphasising the Ministry’s
commitment to transparency, dialogue, and continuous improvement in visa
administration.
The Minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s openness to legitimate investors and
international business partners.
In his remarks, the Turkish Ambassador highlighted recent improvements in visa
facilitation for Nigerian business people travelling to Turkey.
This, he said, was achieved following collaboration between Turkish authorities
and Nigeria’s Ministry of Interior.
“Under the new arrangement, applications are processed locally, with verified
business persons benefiting from faster processing timelines of about three to four
days,” he said.
Amb. Poroy also raised concerns regarding Turkish business people seeking to
visit Nigeria for trade fairs, investments, and other commercial activities.
He noted conflicting information on Nigerian visa arrangements for Turkish
citizens and requested written clarification to guide applicants accurately.
He also made a key request during the meeting which was the inclusion of Turkey
in Nigeria’s electronic visa (e-visa) system.
The Ambassador explained that the absence of a Nigerian visa office in Istanbul
created logistical challenges, as applicants must travel to Ankara, and inclusion in
the e-visa regime would significantly enhance business mobility.
The meeting also addressed the recognition of Nigerian marriage certificates by
foreign missions.
Both parties agreed to sustain engagement and deepen cooperation in order to
further strengthen bilateral relations and diplomatic ties between Nigeria and
Turkey.
