Mehmet Poroy, the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, on Monday, sought partnership with the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) to strengthen bilateral relations on diaspora engagement between the two countries.

The envoy said this when he paid a courtesy visit to the commission’s chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in Abuja.

He said that both Nigeria and Turkey shared similarities, as Nigeria has 17 million citizens abroad, while Turkey has 7.5 million diaspora.

According to him, 6.5 million of them are living in Europe, while the rest are scattered in America and other parts of the world.

The envoy, who said Nigerians currently living in Turkey were 5,000, expressed his embassy’s readiness to work with NiDCOM to learn from NiDCOM to better his country’s diaspora engagement

Responding, Mrs Dabiri-Erewa appreciated the ambassador’s visit, adding that the commission was ready to partner with the Turkish government to learn and grow together.

She acknowledged that both countries have similarities in various ways, adding that the reasons for this collaboration to happen are to deepen the relationship between Nigeria and Turkey.

“Nigeria has over 17 million diaspora living around the world and the Nigerian diaspora are described as the most intelligent in the U.S. and UK.

“Turkey has been friendly to Nigerian students studying in the country and I promise to return the visit.

“I promise to work and partner to share information and to collaborate with the Turkish diaspora commission,’ she said.

(NAN)