Thursday April 10, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Türkiye and Somalia signed a new agreement Thursday for onshore oil and gas exploration.
The deal grants Türkiye's state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) rights to conduct seismic surveys and drilling operations across three land blocks spanning 16,000 square kilometres in Somalia.
"This marks a new step that will strengthen our strategic cooperation with Somalia," Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said at the signing ceremony in Ankara. "We will begin with seismic studies and move rapidly to detection and production."
The agreement expands on a March 2024 offshore energy deal that led to the deployment of Türkiye's Oruç Reis seismic vessel, which is currently conducting 3D surveys in Somali waters. Turkish officials say offshore exploration is 78% complete, with drilling decisions expected in May.
"Our Oruç Reis vessel is still continuing its three-dimensional seismic activities in three sea areas covering around 15,000 square kilometres," Bayraktar noted. "We are currently very active in Somalia and expect positive results."
Somali Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Dahir Shire Mohamed described the agreement as a "historic day" for Somalia's development and natural resource recovery.
Both ministers said that the next stage of cooperation could involve joint mining projects in addition to hydrocarbons. The Turkish side is expected to assess Somalia's mineral reserves once the regulatory groundwork is finalized.
Somalia’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Dahir Shire Mohamed, previously said oil exploration is currently underway in Mareeg, Harardheere, and coastal areas of Hobyo. He said Somalia expects to announce its first oil production by late 2025 or early 2026.
A Turkish drilling ship stationed in the Black Sea is expected to be deployed to Somalia once viable targets are confirmed.
The dual agreements have cemented Türkiye as Somalia's top international partner, reinforcing a relationship that began with then–Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Mogadishu in 2011 during a famine. Since then, Türkiye has poured more than $1 billion into Somali infrastructure, education, and health services. In 2017, Ankara opened its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu, training up to 16,000 Somali troops including elite Gorgor commandos.
In February, the two countries signed a separate maritime security pact giving the Turkish navy a ten-year mandate to patrol Somalia's waters. According to Somali officials, the deal also allows Türkiye to claim 30% of revenues from Somalia's exclusive economic zone.
The next scheduled event in Türkiye's energy outreach is the International Natural Resources Summit, set for May 2 in Istanbul, where officials are expected to present Somalia's investment opportunities to an international audience.