The Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, has disclosed a significant decline in the number of irregular Nigerian migrants in Türkiye, noting that the figure has dropped from about 9,000 to fewer than 5,000.
Ambassador Poroy made this known during a strategic visit to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), where he met with the Chairman/CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa; the Secretary to the Commission, Dr. Sule Yakubu Bassi; and other senior officials, alongside members of the Turkish delegation.
According to the ambassador, Nigeria previously ranked fourth among countries with the highest number of irregular migrants in Türkiye but has now fallen out of the top six. He attributed this progress to improved cooperation and sustained engagement between the two countries.
Poroy also revealed that about 4,600 Nigerian students are officially registered in Türkiye, while an additional 3,700 Nigerians are studying in Northern Cyprus. He further highlighted a notable reduction in cases involving forged Schengen visas and falsified travel documents, commending the Nigerian Embassy for its effective collaboration in curbing such practices.
The Turkish envoy explained that the visit was also to formally present a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), and NiDCOM. He said the MoU is aimed at fostering a mutually beneficial economic partnership, encouraging investment, strengthening technical cooperation, and creating employment opportunities.
Reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to stronger bilateral relations, Ambassador Poroy emphasized the importance of sustained collaboration in migration management and economic development.
In her response, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa underscored the need for continuous cooperation to address the challenges of irregular migration involving Nigerians in Türkiye. She stated that the proposed MoU would be finalized between NiDCOM and the Turkish Embassy to ensure timely implementation and measurabl
e outcomes.
