The Turkish government has identified 76 wooden and metal artefacts believed to belong to Nigeria, the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, announced on Thursday.
Poroy made the disclosure during a courtesy visit to Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, in Abuja. He said Turkey is keen on facilitating the return of the artefacts once Nigeria formally confirms ownership.
“Our Minister of Culture and Tourism has identified 76 wooden and metal objects that are believed to be of Nigerian origin. We received information about these artefacts in May last year, and we are eager to see them returned to Nigeria,” the ambassador said.
According to Poroy, discussions on repatriating the artefacts will commence immediately after the Nigerian government officially establishes its claim.
The development comes ahead of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s scheduled state visit to Turkey next week. In preparation for the visit, the president recently appointed former Kebbi State governor, Dakingari Suleiman, as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Turkey.
Expressing optimism about the forthcoming engagement, Poroy said both countries hope to formalise a cultural cooperation agreement during the visit.
“We are hopeful that during the upcoming visit of Nigeria’s president to Turkey, we will sign a cultural cooperation agreement. Turkey is committed to deepening cultural understanding and strengthening ties with Nigeria,” he said.
The ambassador also revealed plans to establish a Turkish cultural centre in Nigeria to promote traditional arts and support educational initiatives, particularly for young Nigerian women.
In her response, Minister Musawa welcomed the proposed initiatives and stressed the importance of concluding the cultural cooperation agreement without delay.
She highlighted Nigeria’s interest in partnering with Turkey on film productions, cultural exchanges and women-focused programmes, especially in the fashion and creative industries.
“This presents a golden opportunity for both countries to deepen cultural diplomacy,” Musawa said. “Nigeria is a strategic gateway for engaging the global Black community, given our population, creativity and strength of cultural expression.”
The minister urged both sides to move swiftly to finalise the agreement, noting that strengthened cultural ties could also unlock significant economic opportunities for Nigeria and Turkey.
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