Nigeria signs a historic CEPA with UAE to deepen trade, investment, and renewable energy cooperation, opening new opportunities for businesses

Nigeria on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the United Arab Emirates on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who announced the agreement, said it was designed to deepen bilateral cooperation in renewable energy, infrastructure, logistics, aviation, and digital trade.

The signing ceremony was attended by President Tinubu; UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; and UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.

Describing the CEPA as “historic and strategic,” Tinubu said it would create enduring opportunities for people and businesses in both countries while supporting climate-smart infrastructure and sustainable industrial growth.

He also disclosed that Nigeria would co-host Investopia with the UAE in Lagos in February 2026, a global investment forum aimed at accelerating sustainable financing inflows.

President Tinubu outlined Nigeria’s plan to mobilise up to $30 billion annually in climate and green industrial finance, backed by the National Carbon Market Activation Policy and the National Carbon Registry.

He highlighted ongoing energy reforms, including the Electricity Act 2023, and initiatives such as a $500 million distributed renewable energy fund and a $750 million World Bank programme to expand clean electricity access to 17.5 million Nigerians.

Dr. Jumoke Oduwole explained that CEPA would eliminate tariffs on more than 7,000 Nigerian products entering the UAE, including fish, oil seeds, cotton, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals, with further industrial goods phased over three to five years.

The agreement also facilitates Nigerian business operations in the UAE, allowing corporate entities, managers, and executives to relocate for renewable three-year periods.

Oduwole emphasised that CEPA would attract foreign investment, support industrialisation, strengthen transport and logistics, and create quality jobs for Nigeria’s youthful population.

She stressed that swift implementation would be facilitated by key federal agencies including the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Nigeria Customs Service, and Standards Organisation of Nigeria.

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Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s target of net-zero emissions by 2060 while pursuing industrial growth and universal energy access, describing the agreement as a “fundamental step in securing shared prosperity for Nigeria, Africa, and the world.”