Turkey’s drillship Çağrı Bey arrives off Mogadishu for Somalia’s first deep-sea oil project
Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia marked a major energy breakthrough on Friday as Turkey’s deep-sea drilling vessel Çağrı Bey arrived off Mogadishu’s coast, setting the stage for the country’s first offshore deep-water oil exploration project.
Friday April 10, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia marked a major energy breakthrough on Friday as Turkey’s deep-sea drilling vessel Çağrı Bey arrived off Mogadishu’s coast, setting the stage for the country’s first offshore deep-water oil exploration project.
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President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, senior government officials and other dignitaries gathered at Mogadishu port to استقبال the vessel, which will anchor the opening drilling campaign under a bilateral energy agreement between Somalia and Turkey.
President Mohamud framed the arrival of the drillship as a turning point for the nation’s economy.
“The arrival of the Çağrı Bey is a national milestone that will lead to economic development, increased investment and new job opportunities for our country,” he said. He added that the government is committed to the responsible and transparent management of natural resources to ensure that potential revenues benefit the Somali people.
The president said oil income would be directed toward social services, infrastructure and long-term stability. He also thanked the Turkish government for what he called sustained cooperation and support in Somalia’s reconstruction and development.
Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the project marked “a new era in Turkish petroleum exploration,” noting that the planned well will reach a depth of 7,500 meters, making it one of the deepest offshore drilling operations globally.
The drilling campaign is expected to last about 10 months.
Somalia’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Dahir Shire Mohamed, described the launch as a historic moment for the country.
“Today is a historic day for Somalia to welcome the Turkish ship to drill for oil. It is a new hope and a positive step toward utilizing our natural resources,” he said.
The project follows agreements signed between Somalia and Turkey in 2024 covering offshore energy exploration. Turkish seismic surveys previously identified several offshore blocks considered promising for hydrocarbon potential.