By Obinna Uballa
President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja following his participation in the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, where Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) sealed a landmark trade agreement aimed at boosting bilateral economic ties.
The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed Tinubu’s return in a statement issued on Saturday.
Tinubu had left Nigeria on December 28, 2025, for Paris to conclude his annual leave before proceeding to Abu Dhabi for the global sustainability summit, which held from January 11 to 15. This marked the second consecutive year the President attended the event.
On the sidelines of the summit, Nigeria and the UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), granting duty-free access to thousands of Nigerian products entering the UAE market. The agreement is expected to deepen economic cooperation, expand trade and investment flows, enhance technology transfer, and strengthen collaboration in key sectors such as energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining, and renewable energy.
Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, signed the agreement on behalf of Nigeria, while the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, signed for the Emirates. President Tinubu and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan witnessed the signing ceremony.
Speaking after the agreement was concluded, Oduwole said the deal would open new opportunities for Nigerian exporters, providing access to global markets through the UAE. She added that Nigerian businesses would be able to establish offices and subsidiaries in the Emirates, with business owners permitted to stay up to 90 days within a 12-month period.
During his address at the summit, President Tinubu disclosed that Nigeria plans to mobilise up to $30 billion annually in climate and green industrial finance to accelerate energy transition reforms and expand electricity access across the country.
He further revealed that Nigeria’s Climate Investment Platform aims to raise $500 million for climate-resilient infrastructure, while the National Climate Change Fund is targeting a $2 billion capitalisation.
Tinubu also announced plans for a joint Nigeria-UAE Investopia summit scheduled to take place in Lagos in February, as part of efforts to further strengthen economic engagement between both countries.
