President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the conclusion of negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates, a deal the administration describes as a cornerstone of its drive to attract green investment, expand industrial capacity and create jobs across Africa’s largest economy.
Unveiled on the sidelines of the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, the agreement places Nigeria at the centre of a growing economic relationship with the Gulf state, one that blends climate diplomacy with hard‑nosed economic interests. Speaking to global investors and policymakers, Tinubu said the partnership signals a shift in how Nigeria wants to engage the world: not merely as a source of raw materials, but as a destination for long‑term, value‑adding investment.
“Our objective is clear,” the president said. “Nigeria is seeking partnerships that go beyond resource extraction and deliver jobs and value at home. We want investments that strengthen our industries, expand access to electricity and support sustainable growth.”
While the CEPA is framed as a trade and investment agreement, officials say its ambitions extend well beyond tariff reductions or market access. According to the presidency, the pact is designed to deepen cooperation in renewable energy, infrastructure, logistics, digital trade and climate finance, sectors seen as critical to Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.
Nigeria, whose economy remains heavily dependent on oil revenues and vulnerable to external shocks, the partnership offers an opportunity to tap into the UAE’s capital, technology and global trade networks. For the UAE, it provides a foothold in West Africa’s largest consumer market and a gateway to the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Government sources involved in the negotiations say the talks focused not only on attracting capital, but on shaping the quality of investment. Nigerian negotiators pushed for commitments that prioritise local content, skills transfer and job creation, responding to long‑standing public criticism that foreign investments often fail to translate into broad‑based economic benefits.
At the grassroots level, the administration is betting that the agreement will have tangible social impacts. Expanded investments in renewable energy and decentralised electricity, for example, are expected to improve power supply to small businesses, farms and households—areas where unreliable electricity has long constrained productivity and family incomes.
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