Festus Keyamo SAN, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, welcomed His Excellency Mehmet Poroy, the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Nigeria, to the Minister’s office in Abuja on Thursday. Poroy was joined by a high-level team on an official courtesy visit.
Mr. Amadou Ndongo Thiam, Country Manager of ASELSAN Nigeria; Mr. Akin Carkci, General Manager of Turkish Airlines Abuja; and Mr. Muzaffer Hakan Tok, Head of Political Office, were among the Turkish delegation.
These were included in a statement signed by Tunde Moshood, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development’s Special Advisor on Media and Communications.
In his speech, recently appointed Ambassador Poroy conveyed his sincere gratitude to the Honourable Minister for his steadfast support of Turkish Airlines in Nigeria, especially during the time of labor unrest involving some fired employees. The ambassador praised the Minister’s professionalism, equity, and liberal attitude to resolving delicate aviation issues, saying that these qualities demonstrate Nigeria’s dedication to promoting respect for one another and international collaboration.
After the Republic of Turkey’s 102nd anniversary was successfully commemorated, Ambassador Poroy stated that this is his first formal engagement since returning to Nigeria. He reiterated his nation’s delight in its longstanding alliance with Nigeria, saying that Turkey is still dedicated to deepening its commercial and diplomatic ties, especially in the aviation and technology industries.
In order to encourage commerce, investment, and people-to-people interaction between the two countries, the Ambassador emphasized recent initiatives started by the Turkish Embassy, such as the quick and easy issuing of business and tourist visas for Nigerians.
Speaking about air connectivity, Ambassador Poroy revealed that Turkish Airlines now conducts 12 weekly flights to Nigeria, five to Abuja and seven to Lagos. In order to fulfill the increasing demand from passengers, he asked the Minister for permission to expand the frequency.
Additionally, he presented ASELSAN, a prominent Turkish defense and technology corporation known as Europe’s radar center of excellence. High-tech radar systems that satisfy NATO and MIL-STD standards are manufactured by ASELSAN, which also provides Air Surveillance Radar (AIR) and Early Warning Radar Systems (EWRS) that are intended to cover all of the country’s airspace. He clarified that the technologies can be used remotely through satellite communications infrastructure and have dual-use capabilities for both civil and military uses.
The Honorable Minister was invited by Ambassador Poroy to visit Turkey in January 2026 to conduct an on-site inspection of ASELSAN’s radar facilities. During the visit, the Minister would have the chance to meet with his Turkish counterpart to strengthen bilateral cooperation in aviation and aerospace technology.
In response, he extended a cordial welcome to the Turkish ambassador and his colleagues and praised Turkey for its ongoing collaboration and financial support of Nigeria’s aviation industry. He told the envoy that the Ministry was prepared to support Turkish Airlines’ request for more frequent flights and praised the airline for upholding excellent operating standards.
In addition, the Minister accepted the invitation to travel to Turkey in January 2026, highlighting the significance of technological cooperation in radar development and airspace surveillance as Nigeria pursues its agenda for aviation modernization.
He expressed hope that the reestablished alliance with Turkey will lead to new opportunities for collaboration, improve air connectivity, and make a substantial contribution to both economic expansion and national security.
