UAE, Nigeria sign comprehensive economic partnership agreement

The UAE and Nigeria have signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), marking a major step forward in trade and investment relations between the two countries.

The agreement was signed in Abu Dhabi in the presence of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, signalling the start of a new chapter of expanded economic cooperation.

Under the deal, tariffs and trade barriers will be reduced, investment flows increased, and new opportunities created in key sectors including technology, agriculture, energy and precious metals.

The agreement is also expected to strengthen supply chains, boost public and private-sector cooperation, and support small and medium-sized enterprises expanding into global markets.

The CEPA was signed by UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

Sheikh Mohamed described the deal as a landmark in UAE-Nigeria relations, saying it reflects the UAE’s commitment to strengthening global trade partnerships and unlocking new opportunities for shared economic growth and development.

Tinubu highlighted the importance of the agreement in opening new avenues for trade and investment, reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to advancing the shared development priorities of both nations.

Bilateral non-oil trade reached $4.3 billion in 2024, up more than 55 per cent on the previous year. In the first nine months of 2025, trade totalled around $3.1 billion, reinforcing the rapid upward trend.

The agreement forms part of the UAE’s wider CEPA programme, a central pillar of its foreign trade strategy, which aims to raise non-oil foreign trade to $1.1 trillion by 2031.

So far, 32 CEPA agreements have been concluded, underlining the UAE’s commitment to open, rules-based trade as a driver of economic growth, diversification and global business opportunity.