The Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, has announced plans to establish a visa application centre in Kano as part of efforts to deepen bilateral trade and ease business travel between Nigeria and Turkey.
Poroy disclosed this on Thursday during a visit by a Turkish delegation to the Kano Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (KACCIMA), where he met with business leaders to explore investment opportunities.
He said the proposed visa centre would enable business people in Kano and the wider northern region to process travel documents locally, eliminating the need to travel to Abuja.
“We will have good news and other facilities to increase people-to-people contact between business communities. A new Turkish visa application centre will be opened soon in Kano to facilitate easier access for visas,” Poroy said.
The ambassador described the meeting with the chamber as “successful, fruitful and result-oriented,” noting that discussions focused on strengthening trade ties and expanding Turkish investments in Nigeria.
Chairman of the Nigerian-Turkey Business Council, Dele Kelvin Oye, said the visit was a follow-up to Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent trip to Turkey, where both countries agreed to scale up trade relations.
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Oye said the target is to increase bilateral trade volume from $2 billion to $5 billion, adding that Kano remains strategic due to its strong export base.
“We have seen the potential of Kano as a centre of commerce, contributing significantly to Nigeria’s export activities.
“Beyond trade, we are focusing on investment that will unlock value and address key challenges,” he said.
He stressed that the delegation comprises investors interested in industrial development, noting that solving infrastructure and production challenges in Africa presents business opportunities.
President of KACCIMA, Usman Darma, said the planned visa centre would significantly ease travel constraints faced by local entrepreneurs seeking to do business with Turkey.
Darma noted that the initiative aligns with agreements reached during recent engagements between Nigeria and Turkey, adding that Kano is positioning itself to benefit from partnerships in agriculture, industry and energy.
He said discussions are ongoing with Turkish partners on potential projects, including infrastructure development, while efforts are being made to address trade concerns raised by members, particularly around payment systems.
