The trade volume between Nigeria and Turkey has reached N375billion while the Turkish business community has restated its commitment to step up investments in the country.
The Association of Businessmen and Investors of Nigeria and Turkey (ABINAT) said Turkish businesses provide products that are not being produced in the country.
Its spokesman, Husnu Bozkir, said the Turkish community is in the country to complement the efforts of indigenous players.
He said: “We are interested in Nigeria because most sectors are not producing much. There are no companies producing steel, the item is basically imported, but we have about two, or three companies that are interested in steel production.”
He, however, lamented the deficit in power generation and requirment in the country, saying it is a major disincentive to investment in the country.
According to him, there are 25 Turkish firms in the country operating in foods, furniture, textile, construction materials, cosmetics and machinery sectors of the economy.
He said ABINAT, with about 140,000 membership, representing virtually every sector in the industry, provides a platform for importers to bring goods into the country.
“We have 140,000 members in every sector, so if you want to import anything from Turkey, we link you with producers, not wholesalers who will assist you in closing the transaction. That is how we are linking people to facilitate trade between Turkey and Nigeria,” he said, adding that the bilateral trade between both countries is now in excess of $2.3billion, or about N375.8billion.
He listed Nigeria’s exports to Turkey to include, liquefied natural gas, sesame seed, cocoa, charcoal and wood, while Turkey in turn exports construction materials, textiles, auto mobiles and power equipment to the country.
Bozkir, who spoke in company of three other members of the group, Yunus Emre Dogan, Principal Nigerian Turkish International College, Yavuz Zemheri and Cemal Yigit, said the Turkish business community has lined up two trade fairs for the year in Lagos and Abuja.
He said one of the Turkish firms has concluded plans to establish five textile industries in Imo State, adding that Turkish investments in Nigeria are employing well over 4,000 staff.
He said: “Our goal is on production of quality goods for which Turkey is wide known. We are not going to be merely importing goods to Nigeria. Rather, we are planning to establish more production plants in this country, to provide more jobs for the people and also enhance the productive capacity of Nigeria.”
