In a significant boost to Nigeria–Turkey educational cooperation, Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, has paid an official visit to Bayero University Kano (BUK), marking his first engagement with a Nigerian university since assuming office.
The visit, held on Thursday, April 2, 2026, centred on exploring formal partnerships with leading Turkish universities, with a strong focus on joint research, academic staff exchanges, and student mobility programmes. Ambassador Poroy said BUK’s rising profile as one of Nigeria’s top academic institutions informed his decision to begin his university outreach in Kano.
He emphasised that strengthening institutional linkages would not only expand academic opportunities but also deepen diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Turkey. Poroy disclosed that over 4,000 Nigerian students are currently studying in Turkish universities, adding that Ankara is expanding fully funded scholarship opportunities as part of a long-term strategy to strengthen people-to-people ties through education.
Welcoming the delegation, BUK Vice-Chancellor, Haruna Musa, described the visit as both timely and strategic, reaffirming the university’s readiness to establish formal collaborations with Turkish institutions. He outlined the university’s academic and research capacity, noting that BUK now hosts nearly 38,000 students and over 4,700 staff across multiple faculties and specialised centres.
Professor Musa highlighted globally recognised research hubs within the institution, including the Centre for Dryland Agriculture, which attracts students from 15 countries, and the World Bank-backed Africa Centre of Excellence for Population Health and Policy. He also pointed to BUK’s expertise in renewable energy, infectious diseases, and public health as key areas for potential collaboration.
The Vice-Chancellor further noted that the university recently recorded strong performance in the 2026 Times Higher Education rankings, emerging among Nigeria’s leading institutions in teaching and research, while ranking first in the country for international outlook. He added that BUK is preparing to celebrate its golden jubilee and extended an invitation to the Turkish Embassy to participate in the milestone events.
He was joined during the meeting by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development), Amina Mustapha, who recently accompanied him to the Africa Universities Summit in Nairobi, where the institution received continental recognition.
Both parties expressed optimism that the engagement would culminate in concrete memoranda of understanding with Turkish universities. The anticipated partnerships are expected to enhance knowledge exchange, create new academic opportunities, and further strengthen bilateral cooperation in higher education, research, and innovation between Nigeria and Turkey.
