The UAE and Nigeria have signed a trade agreement, with non-oil trade totalling US$4.3 billion

The UAE has signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Nigeria, marking a significant step in strengthening trade

Arabian Business reports that Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, and Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Nigeria's Minister of Industry,Trade and Investment,recently signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in Abu Dhabi.

Significantly liberalise trade in goods and services

Under the agreement, tariffs will be reduced and trade barriers removed, with the objective of significantly boosting bilateral investment flows. The CEPA also creates opportunities across key sectors including technology, agriculture, precious metals, andenergy.

“For Nigerians, this agreement is not abstract. It opens duty-free access for thousands of Nigerian products into the UAE, expands opportunities for our exporters, manufacturers, and service providers, and gives UAE investors clearer confidence to back Nigeria’s productive economy,”Tinubu said.

According to details released by the Ministry, Nigeria will liberalise a total of 6,243 products under the agreement. Of this number, tariffs on 3,949 products, representing 63.3 per cent, will be eliminated immediately, while tariffs on a further 2,294 products, or 36.7 per cent, will be phased out over five years.

On the UAE side, tariffs will be immediately removed on 2,805 out of 7,315 products, accounting for 38.3 per cent of covered goods. Commenting on the development, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment said the agreement sends a strong signal to global investors and trading partners.

In addition, the deal seeks to enhance public and private sector cooperation, strengthen supply chains, and empower small and medium-sized enterprises to expand their reach in global markets.

The momentum of bilateral trade remains robust in 2024.

The UAE-Nigeria CEPA builds on strong recent trade momentum between the two countries.

Bilateral non-oil trade totalled $4.3bn in 2024, representing a 55.3 percent year-on-year increase compared to2023.

In the first nine months of 2025, bilateral non-oil trade reached approximately S3.1bn,reinforcing the rapid growth recorded in the previous year.

Strategic Synergy and Shared Vision

The signing of this agreement coincides with Nigeria's implementation of a series of domestic economic reforms. Nigeria's “Hope for Renewal Agenda” aims to promote economic diversification and reduce dependence on petroleum. For Nigeria, the signing of the agreement with the UAE also represents a significant step in its participation in the broader Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement initiative.

It has been confirmed that Nigeria will host the Investopia Africa Summit, the flagship investment platform of the United Arab Emirates, in Lagos on 2 February 2026.

The agreement forms part of the UAE's broader CEPA programme, a central pillar of its foreign trade agenda aimed at increasing non-oil foreign trade to S1.1tn by2031. In 2024, the initiative contributed to a record non-oil trade figure of $810bn, marking a 14 percent year-on-year increase.

The UAE-Nigeria Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) positions Africa's largest economy as a gateway for Middle Eastern capital into the African continent.