Türkiye to begin oil and gas exploration off the coast of Somalia in 2025

Türkiye aims to begin drilling for oil off the coast of Somalia in 2025, based on a cooperation agreement signed in March for offshore oil and natural gas exploration. This a move seen to further strengthen ties between the two countries.

“There is a place on the Somali seaside we consider may have oil reserves,” said Alparslan Bayraktar, Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, in an interview with NTV broadcaster on Friday. “We will start seismic work, we want to do deep sea drilling in 2025.”

This announcement follows a defense agreement established between Türkiye and Somalia in February 2024. The oil and gas exploration deal signed the following month, was part of the defense pact according to somali officials.

The agreement arrives amidst existing regional tensions. Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to lease a military base in Somaliland, an autonomous region of Somalia, on January 1st. Analysts suggest Türkiye’s defense deal could act as a potential deterrent, but the Somali government has maintained the deal is not directly linked to tensions with Ethiopia.

Türkiye has emerged as a key supporter of Somalia, providing investments in education, infrastructure, and healthcare alongside humanitarian aid. It also offers military support to the UN-backed Somali government in Mogadishu.