Türkiye to Begin Offshore Drilling in Somalia in 2026

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Istanbul: Türkiye will begin offshore oil and gas drilling in Somali waters in 2026, Somali officials confirmed Tuesday, marking the first-ever offshore drilling operation in the country’s history.

The announcement followed a meeting in Istanbul between Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, during which the two leaders also pledged to strengthen cooperation in energy, security, and emerging technologies.

Under the plans, Türkiye will deploy one of its newly expanded fleet of deep-sea drilling vessels, including the Cagri Bey and Yildirim, to Somali waters in the Indian Ocean. Extensive seismic and geological surveys have already been completed under a bilateral agreement signed earlier between the two governments.

“This is a long-awaited and historic moment for the Somali people,” Somalia’s Minister of Petroleum Dahir Shire told TRT Afrika. He emphasized that the drilling operations are concrete, irreversible, and fully transparent, marking a new chapter for Somalia’s long-stalled oil and gas sector.

Minister Shire stressed that the initiative would benefit the Somali population, with further onshore and offshore projects planned as part of a long-term development strategy. He credited the progress to the strong political relationship between Mogadishu and Ankara, noting that close cooperation between the two presidents had been essential to advancing the project despite regional uncertainties.

“This will not be symbolic,” Shire said. “The ship is going to drill, and Somalis will see tangible results from their natural resources for the first time.”

The planned offshore drilling represents a major step for Somalia, which aims to develop its natural resources in a serious, sustainable, and transparent way, while maintaining full sovereignty over its energy sector.