Lagos — A high-powered Turkish business delegation comprising 30 businessmen and investors in the steel industry will visit Nigeria in early July to hold meetings with top government officials, private sector captains and industrial users of steel in Lagos and Abuja.

The delegation representing 21 leading companies across Turkey and Europe, under the Turkish Steel Exporters' Association will be led by its board chair, Mr. Namık Ekinci.

The visit is expected to improve bilateral trade relations between Nigeria and Turkey, expand platforms for fresh strategic partnerships and explore new business and growth opportunities for both nations.

According to the finalized programme, the delegation will arrive in Lagos on July 2 and after several meetings, visit Abuja on July 04 and 05.

The Turkish companies represented are offering a wide range of steel products, including HR/CR coils, diamond and tear-drop pattern plates, wire rods, billets, beams, bars, hollow sections, tubes, pipes among others.

Turkey is Europe's second biggest crude steel producer and the 7th largest steel exporting country in the world with exports to more than 180 countries.

This significant business visit and trade exchange sessions will not only be a great platform for productive dialogue between Nigeria and Turkey, it will also boost the steel sub-sector and the Nigeria manufacturing base.

Turkey has emerged very strong on the global steel market and its total crude steel production was expected to reach 38 million tons at the end of 2012, with exports for around 18.1 million tons worth $15.4 billion in 2011.