At the invitation of His Highness Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (@mohamedbinzayed), I am in Abu Dhabi for Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, where today I witnessed the signing of the Nigeria-United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement alongside His Highness, the President of the UAE.
This agreement is the result of sustained and disciplined work led by Minister Dr Jumoke Oduwole for Nigeria and by Minister Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi for the UAE. I commend both ministers and their teams for the seriousness and clarity that brought these negotiations to a conclusion.
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. This comprehensive agreement also supports our industrialisation and diversification goals and strengthens Nigeria’s position as a gateway for trade and investment into Africa.
This is the work of economic reform, purposeful engagement and measured partnerships. The outcomes will serve Nigeria’s long-term national interest.
May the renewed relationship between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates continue to yield sustained dividends for both nations and our peoples.
~ Bola Ahmed Tinubu
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
