Anatolian grandeur and Somalia’s oil era

Somalia on Friday welcomed the Turkish deep-sea drilling vessel Çağrı Bey at the Port of Mogadishu, marking the launch of the country’s first offshore oil drilling campaign. The vessel will begin exploration activities in offshore blocks located in parts of Galmudug State, according to Somalia’s Minister of Petroleum, Dahir Shire.

The project also represents Türkiye’s first deep-water hydrocarbon exploration venture outside its own waters. Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar described the initiative as the beginning of a “new era” in Turkey’s oil exploration efforts. The planned drilling operation is expected to reach a depth of 7,500 metres, placing it among the deepest offshore projects worldwide.

Speaking at the ceremony, Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud praised the role of Turkey in advancing Somalia’s hydrocarbon exploration efforts. He stressed that the country’s oil and gas resources have remained “largely unexploited for centuries,” despite “widespread poverty and recurring hunger among the population.” The president questioned “how much longer these resources could remain untapped” while citizens continue to face economic hardship.

President Mohamud noted that while many countries have supported Somalia in areas such as security and economic development, there has been a notable absence of international engagement in petroleum exploration. He said that “no other nation has actively undertaken drilling or exploration activities on Somalia’s behalf.” The president added that “Turkey stands out as the only government that has assisted Somalia in developing its petroleum sector.”

In a post shared later on his official X account, the president described the arrival of the Çağrı Bey drilling project as a turning point for the country. “The arrival of the Cagri Bay drilling project ushers in new chapter of shared progress,” the president wrote.

President Mohamud also commended Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, recalling his visit to Somalia in 2011. He expressed gratitude for Turkey’s “continued commitment,” including “investments amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, despite ongoing security and insurance challenges.” The president underlined “the risks Turkey has taken” in choosing to invest in Somalia.

Somalia–Turkey relations have been expanding over the past decade. Ankara has emerged as a central actor in Somalia’s development, particularly in infrastructure and the security sector. Turkey has played a major role in training Somali forces, including specialized units. However, hydrocarbon agreements signed since 2024 have significantly accelerated and deepened the relationship.

In early 2024, Somalia and Turkey reinforced their defense and maritime cooperation, laying the groundwork for offshore resource development. This was quickly followed by a shift toward oil and gas cooperation. Since then, the partnership has progressed through several stages: an intergovernmental energy agreement in March 2024, a more operational offshore exploration deal in July 2024, offshore seismic surveys conducted between late 2024 and mid-2025, an expansion into onshore exploration in 2025, and the arrival of Turkey’s drillship Çağrı Bey to begin deep-sea exploratory drilling in Somali waters.

The hydrocarbon partnership followed years of growing political, military, and economic ties between Ankara and Mogadishu. In February 2024, the two governments signed a defense and economic cooperation framework agreement under which Turkey committed to strengthening Somalia’s maritime security and territorial waters. This agreement was particularly significant for energy development, as offshore oil and gas exploration requires a minimum level of maritime control. In effect, the security framework created the enabling environment for the subsequent energy agreements.

On March 7, 2024, Somalia and Turkey formalized their energy cooperation through a broad intergovernmental agreement covering the exploration, evaluation, development, and production of hydrocarbons across both onshore and offshore blocks. Turkish officials indicated that the agreement extended beyond upstream activities to include transportation, refining, distribution, and related energy services.

This agreement established the legal and political basis for Turkish involvement in Somalia’s petroleum sector. By mid-2024, it had enabled Turkey’s state oil company, Turkish Petroleum, to secure licenses for offshore exploration. A broader memorandum of understanding on energy and mining further outlined cooperation across petroleum, natural gas, electricity, and minerals.

The partnership moved into a more operational phase in July 2024, when TPAO and the Somali Petroleum Authority signed an exploration and production agreement for three offshore blocks. The blocks covered approximately over 15,000 square kilometers in total. The agreement granted Turkey a leading role in conducting exploration activities, including seismic surveys, and positioned it as Somalia’s primary external partner in offshore hydrocarbons.

In October 2024, the Turkish seismic vessel Oruç Reis arrived in Somali waters to begin 3D seismic surveys. The campaign, which lasted into mid-2025, marked the first large-scale technical assessment of Somalia’s offshore hydrocarbon potential under this partnership. At the same time, the partnership expanded to include onshore exploration. Agreements signed in late 2024 and further developed in April 2025 provided for seismic surveys across multiple onshore blocks, with drilling to follow depending on the results.

The agreements were presented by both governments as mutually beneficial and aligned with Somalia’s development goals. The incumbent administration, which has been embroiled in a political crisis, has consistently stressed that natural resources should be developed for the benefit of the Somali people, using production-sharing frameworks that include royalties, cost recovery, and profit-sharing mechanisms. However, the specific terms of the Somalia–Turkey agreements became a subject of debate in 2025.

According to reports that emerged, Turkey have secured relatively favorable commercial terms, including a high cost-recovery ceiling and reduced financial obligations. These reports created domestic scrutiny. As a result, while the precise terms remain partly unclear, the broader issue of fiscal balance has become politically sensitive. One Somali senator and prominent scholar, Abdi Ismail Samatar, who has been a vocal critic of the current administration, argued that the growing Turkish involvement in the country is making Somalia “Türkiye’s neo-colonial client.”

The arrival of the drilling vessel has raised hopes that Somalia may finally become an oil-producing country. The current administration has expressed strong optimism about this development. However, growing concerns have been voiced by opposition groups and several regional states. Recent constitutional changes introduced by the administration have contributed to a political crisis and strained relations between the federal government and some regional states. There is also uncertainty surrounding Somalia’s 2026 elections. According to the provisional constitution under which president Hassan was elected, the current administration’s mandate is set to expire in May. However, the new constitution signed into law by President Hassan extends the term to five years. This discrepancy has become a major point of contention, with many opposition leaders questioning the legality and legitimacy of the current administration.