The Turkish Embassy in Nigeria marked this year’s Turkish Cuisine Week with a rich cultural celebration that brought together Turkish and Nigerian traditions through food, diplomacy, and shared heritage.
At a special dinner hosted by the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, in Abuja, select diplomatic correspondents and dignitaries were treated to a blend of Turkish culinary classics and the beloved Nigerian delicacy, suya. The event, held at Anatolia Restaurant in collaboration with the Yunus Emre Institute Abuja, showcased Türkiye’s enduring gastronomic traditions and fostered intercultural dialogue.
Ambassador Poroy highlighted that Turkish cuisine stands among the world’s richest due to the centuries of cultural fusion that have shaped the country’s culinary identity. He explained that the diversity in Turkish food reflects a history of migration and the integration of numerous civilizations, making Turkish cuisine a living legacy of Anatolia’s fertile lands and multicultural heritage.
Celebrated annually from May 21 to 27, Turkish Cuisine Week was launched in 2022 under the patronage of First Lady Emine Erdoğan. Now in its fourth year, the global celebration promotes Türkiye’s culinary treasures, emphasizing traditional dishes known for their natural ingredients, health benefits, and sustainable cooking methods. The 2025 theme, “Classics of Turkish Cuisine,” invites the world to rediscover traditional recipes passed down through generations.
Ambassador Poroy noted that Turkish Cuisine Week is more than a display of food—it is a cultural diplomacy initiative that builds bridges between nations. The inclusion of suya in this year’s celebration was a symbolic gesture that highlighted the warmth of Turkish hospitality and the deepening ties between Nigeria and Türkiye.
In addition to cultural engagement, the ambassador also emphasized the strengthening of bilateral relations, disclosing that both countries are working toward increasing their trade volume to $5 billion. He noted the rising number of travelers between Nigeria and Türkiye, facilitated by about 16 weekly flights, and shared plans to expand Turkish visa centres beyond Abuja and Lagos to other major Nigerian cities.
The week-long celebration in Abuja was attended by members of the Diplomatic Corps, including several foreign ambassadors to Nigeria and ECOWAS, top officials from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and notable figures from the business community. Among them were Mr. Uche Osoka, Co-chair of the Nigeria-Turkey Business Council, and Mr. Tevfik Demirel, Head of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MÜSİAD) in Nigeria.
From shared meals to culinary storytelling, the Turkish Cuisine Week event in Abuja reflected Türkiye’s commitment to using food as a powerful tool for cultural exchange, mutual understanding, and global connection.
