Abuja: Mr Mehmet Poroy, the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, on Monday sought partnership with the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) to strengthen bilateral relations on diaspora engagement between the two countries. The envoy expressed his intentions during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s Chairman/CEO, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the ambassador highlighted the similarities between Nigeria and Turkey, noting that Nigeria has 17 million citizens abroad, while Turkey has 7.5 million diasporans. Of these, 6.5 million are residing in Europe, with the remainder spread across America and other parts of the world. Mr Poroy mentioned that approximately 5,000 Nigerians currently live in Turkey and expressed the embassy’s eagerness to learn from NiDCOM’s strategies to enhance Turkey’s own diaspora engagement efforts.
In her response, Mrs Dabiri-Erewa welcomed the ambassador’s visit and expressed the commission’s readiness to partner with the Turkish government. She emphasized the potential for both countries to learn and grow from each other due to their shared characteristics. Dabiri-Erewa pointed out that the collaboration would deepen the relationship between Nigeria and Turkey.
She remarked on Nigeria’s vast diaspora, stating, “Nigeria has over 17 million diasporans living around the world and Nigerian diaspora are described as the most intelligent in the US and UK.” She acknowledged Turkey’s hospitality towards Nigerian students and pledged to reciprocate the ambassador’s visit. Furthermore, she committed to working together to exchange information and collaborate with the Turkish diaspora commission.