Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates on signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) aimed at deepening bilateral trade, expanding market access for Nigerian goods and services, and attracting quality foreign investment into Africa’s largest economy.
The agreement was signed following negotiations led by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment under the direction of the Minister and Nigeria’s Chief Negotiator,
Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, and aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for economic diversification.
Under the CEPA, the UAE will eliminate tariffs on more than 7,000 Nigerian products, granting immediate duty free access for agricultural and industrial exports such as fish and seafood, oil seeds, cereals, cotton, pharmaceuticals and chemicals. Tariffs on Nigerian machinery, vehicles, electrical equipment, apparel and furniture will be phased out over the next three to five years.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Abu Dhabi, Dr. Oduwole revealed the deal provides Nigerian manufacturers and exporters with “a clear and competitive pathway into one of the world’s most dynamic trading hubs.”
The agreement also eases business mobility. Nigerian business visitors will be able to enter the UAE for up to 90 days within a 12-month period, while managers, executives and specialists can relocate under intra-corporate transfer arrangements for renewable three year terms. Nigerian companies are equally permitted to establish subsidiaries, branches and other corporate entities in the UAE.
On investment, the CEPA seeks to address longstanding barriers to foreign direct investment by offering greater certainty and protection for UAE investors in Nigeria’s productive sectors. Authorities say this will support industrialisation, improve transport and logistics, and create jobs for Nigeria’s growing youth population.
Nigeria, for its part, committed to eliminating tariffs on about 6,000 products, with roughly 60 per cent removed immediately and the remainder phased out over five years. Officials said these imports are largely industrial inputs, capital goods and machinery needed to strengthen domestic production, while Nigeria’s Import Prohibition List remains unchanged. In services, Nigeria made commitments across 99 sub-sectors spanning business, communications, transport, finance, construction, distribution, health, tourism and other sectors.
The government described the CEPA as a strategic tool for positioning Nigeria as a gateway to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market of 1.4 billion people. It also cited growing interest from UAE institutional investors, including First Abu Dhabi Bank, in infrastructure financing such as the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road, as evidence of rising confidence in Nigeria’s reform agenda.
Implementation of the agreement will be led by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in collaboration with agencies including the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria.
Oduwole commended both the Nigerian and UAE negotiating teams, including UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, for what she described as a strong collaborative effort.
She emphasized “This agreement was negotiated for the Nigerian private sector, urging businesses to take advantage of the enhanced market access. “Nigeria is open for business, and Nigerian businesses now have open access to the UAE, the Middle East and the rest of the world.”