By Correspondent
Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates recently inked a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that aims to establish Nigeria as a strategic hub for accessing the larger African market while luring significant UAE investments into the country’s industrial and infrastructure sectors.
Local exporters will have a vital location to reach international markets, especially those in the Gulf and beyond, thanks to the trade deal.
The Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment Dr. Jumoke Oduwole made this claim while defending the agreement amid worries about its effects on local employment and production.
Oduwole emphasized that the agreement was structured to promote Nigeria’s industrialization strategy rather than undercut it, saying that Nigeria purposefully opened its market to UAE investors in sectors where the nation has obvious infrastructure and industrial deficiencies.
“We want investment in infrastructure, we want investment in so many areas that we have gaps, and so that UAE capital will come into areas, and of course they’ll make good money,” she said.
“But more than that, when the UAE are looking for a hub to access the rest of Africa, they will base those investments in Nigeria and use Nigeria as a hub to export to the rest of Africa.
“But this agreement is by no means one-sided. It’s one that I told you was a tough negotiation, but both sides insisted and came to the conclusion where it was going to be a win-win,” she said.
“We want to invest in infrastructure and in a lot of areas where we have gaps. This will allow UAE capital to enter those areas and, of course, they will make good money,” she stated.
In addition to capital inflows, she said, the deal would enable Nigeria to import vital equipment and industrial supplies needed to increase its capacity for domestic production.
Oduwole clarified, “What we will also be importing from the UAE will be a lot of machinery, a lot of areas where we need inputs for our industrialisation agenda, and those are some of the lines that we’ve opened.”
One of Nigeria’s most ambitious bilateral trade liberalization agreements to date, the CEPA, was recently signed by the UAE and Nigeria.
Nigerian exporters will have greater access to the Gulf market as a result of the agreement, which will remove tariffs on 6,243 products imported from the UAE and 7,315 products imported from Nigeria.
Fish and seafood, oil seeds, cereals, cotton, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals are among the agricultural and industrial goods that will now be able to enter the UAE market duty-free, according to the minister.
She remarked, “This deal has been comprehensive. The message of this deal should be delivered in the most pragmatic manner.
“Even though it has been very technical work, over 11 months of tough negotiation, both sides were quite pleased with where we landed this deal for Nigeria.”
Noting that the agreement is in line with the Federal Government’s non-oil export drive under the Renewed Hope Agenda, she encouraged Nigerian exporters to benefit from the tariff-free access.
“Over 7,000 product lines, from oil seeds to pharmaceuticals, to our chemicals, to agricultural produce, will be allowed into the UAE market duty-free.
“We really do want Nigerian businesses to take advantage of that,” Oduwole said.
“More than 7,000 product lines will be permitted to enter the UAE market duty-free, including oil seeds, pharmaceuticals, our chemicals, and agricultural produce.
“We sincerely hope Nigerian companies will capitalize on that,” Oduwole stated.
“The UAE is about the 10th largest trading nation in the world. This is a gateway, this is a hub, this is an access that connects east to west,” she said.
“When it comes to transport, logistics and businesses having head offices, the UAE is one of the melting pots of the world,” Oduwole said.
She said, “We have prioritised Nigeria first. We have prioritised Nigerian investors.
“No UAE investor is trying to come into the Nigerian market on their own. They need local partners.”
She cited ongoing infrastructure projects and recent financial sector entries as early signs of growing UAE confidence in Nigeria.
“We have prioritised Nigeria first. We have prioritised Nigerian investors, Oduwole stated.
“No UAE investor is trying to come into the Nigerian market on their own. They need local partners.”
She highlighted the growing UAE confidence in Nigeria arising from ongoing infrastructure projects and financial sector reforms.
“If you take, for instance, the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, we have seen some UAE capital coming. We have seen First Abu Dhabi Bank moving into Nigeria,” Oduwole noted.
“This agreement has 22 chapters. You have dispute settlement. You have a mechanism where we come together once a year to see practically what it’s going to deliver.
“It’s not just an agreement that you sign and go to sleep,” she said.
“These are not in isolation. They all come together to deliver an enabling environment for our businesses to thrive and to export,” she said.
She stated that the agreement would impact job creation. She asked: “How many jobs do you think the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway has created and generated for the Nigerian economy?”
She outlined commodities such as processed foods, drinks, and apparel as being in high request.
“They want our light manufacturing goods, snacks, zobo, plantain chips, and they want our apparel, the clothes and fashion Nigerian businesses are known for. The African market is hungry and thirsty for our goods, and we are facilitating export access for Nigerians across the country.
“Our job as government is to teach and to coach. Never, ever underestimate Nigerian productivity, Nigerian innovation, Nigerian capacity to take advantage.
“This agreement is by no means one-sided. It was a tough negotiation, but both sides insisted and came to the conclusion where it was going to be a win-win,” she said.
“We have broken another record on our non-oil exports in 2025. Let’s watch the data. The taste of the pudding is in the eating,” Oduwole concluded.
Cooperation in trade, infrastructure, renewable energy, and other important areas will be strengthened under the pact.
According to President Tinubu, the agreement advances Nigeria’s efforts to attract green investment, increase non-oil exports, and foster sustained economic expansion.
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