Steel products

Crusoe Osagie
A high-powered Turkish business delegation of 30 business people 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 other parts of Europe, are coming under the auspices of Turkish Steel Exporters’ Association and will be led by its board chairman, Mr. Namık Ekinci.

According to the steel association, the visit is expected to shore up 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 finalised programme, the delegation will arrive in Lagos on the 2nd of July and after several meetings, visit Abuja on July 4 and 5, 2012. 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 and other steel products.

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

Turkish steel has been in several high-profile projects around the world, including the Al Burj tower in Dubai, at 1,050 metres the world’s tallest building, the Dubai Underground Project, Heathrow Airport terminal extension, Turkey-Greece natural gas pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline.

Turkish steel is also used in car manufacturing of Toyota Corolla and Verso, Honda Civic and City, Hyundai Accent and Matrix, Renault Megane and Clio and Fiat Albea, Palio Doblo and Linea. 
Steel Exporters’ Association was established in October 2005 with the basic aims of increasing exports and facilitating the business of its 652 member firms.

The association maximises Turkey’s steel export potential by undertaking studies on harmonisation of types, qualities and quantities of exportable products with importing countries’ needs, organising trade missions to potential export markets, bringing buyer missions to Turkey, organising seminars, fairs and exhibitions, resolving problems faced by member firms, arising from export transactions and carrying out other activities to support its members and their business.

The forthcoming visit by the Turkish delegation further demonstrates the growing importance of Nigeria as a key emerging market and a potential strategic trading partner with Turkey in the steel sector.