Somalia hails oil drilling deal with Türkiye ahead of offshore operations in 2026
The presidents of the two countries announced on Tuesday that oil and gas exploration activities will begin next year following successful completion of surveys.
Somalia’s petroleum minister has described Türkiye’s planned offshore drilling operations off the coast of Somali as a historic turning point that could significantly improve the well-being of the Somali people.
The presidents of the two countries announced on Tuesday that oil and gas exploration activities will begin next year following successful completion of geological and seismic surveys.
“This is a long-awaited and historic moment for the Somali people,” Somalia’s Minister of Petroleum Dahir Shire told TRT Afrika.
“The progress we are witnessing today proves that Somalia’s natural resources can finally be developed in a serious, transparent and sustainable way.”
New chapter
He said the decision to move forward with drilling marked the culmination of years of preparation and cooperation, and signaled a new chapter for Somalia’s long-stalled oil and gas sector.
Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Somalia’s counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met in Istanbul on Tuesday and agreed to strengthen cooperation across energy, security and emerging technologies.
President Erdogan confirmed that Türkiye had expanded its energy fleet with two new deep-sea drilling vessels - Cagri Bey and Yildirim - which will support operations abroad. One of the ships will operate off the coast of Somalia, while the other will be deployed in the Black Sea, according to the Turkish president.
Türkiye has already conducted extensive seismic studies in Somali waters under a bilateral agreement signed earlier between the two governments.
Minister Shire directly addressed skepticism that followed earlier announcements, stressing that the drilling plans are concrete and irreversible.
“When the drilling ship arrives in Somali waters in the Indian Ocean, it will not be there for symbolic reasons,” he said. “It is not going there for fishing. It is going there to drill. Those who are very pessimistic about Somalia’s oil and gas sector will be seeing something with their own eyes.”
First-ever offshore drilling
He added that this would mark the first-ever offshore drilling operation in Somalia’s history, with further offshore and onshore projects planned as part of a long-term development strategy.
Shire credited the progress to the close political relationship between Mogadishu and Ankara, highlighting the personal commitment of both presidents.
“This level of cooperation was made possible through the strong and brotherly relationship between Somalia and Türkiye,” he said.
“Their leadership has been essential, not only in energy development, but also in security cooperation and state-building.”
He noted that the strength of bilateral ties had allowed the project to advance despite regional uncertainties, emphasizing that Somalia’s sovereignty and development plans remain firmly in Somali hands.
Public interest
Echoing President Mohamud’s message to the nation, Shire sought to reassure Somalis—particularly young people—that the oil and gas sector would be developed to benefit the public.
“The good days are coming,” he said. “There is nothing being hidden. This process is being carried out transparently and it is being done for the benefit of the Somali people.”
Shire said decades of doubt surrounding Somalia’s ability to harness its natural resources would soon be replaced by tangible results, calling the project “unstoppable.”