Abu dhabi: Nigeria’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the United Arab Emirates has been hailed as a transformative move that will provide duty-free access for thousands of Nigerian products, according to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole. The announcement came after the signing of this landmark trade agreement on the sidelines of the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW).
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr. Oduwole described the CEPA as a historic milestone that promises to redefine economic relations, offering substantial benefits for Nigerian businesses, professionals, and workers. She emphasized that the agreement prioritizes market access, quality investment inflows, and economic diversification under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The UAE has agreed to eliminate tariffs on more than 7,000 Nigerian products immediately, including fish and seafood, oil seeds, cereals, cotton, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.
The minister further detailed that tariffs on Nigerian machinery, vehicles, electrical equipment, apparel, and furniture would be phased out over the next three to five years. The agreement provides Nigerian industrial exports with a competitive edge in accessing one of the world’s most significant trading hubs.
Nigerian businesses are now positioned to establish entities, branches, and subsidiaries in the UAE, with business visitors allowed to stay up to 90 days annually. Executives and specialists have the option to relocate for renewable three-year periods. The agreement is expected to enhance Nigeria’s investment climate by resolving longstanding barriers to foreign direct investments. UAE investors now have the clarity and confidence needed to invest in Nigeria’s productive sectors.
The deal is projected to support industrialization, improve logistics connectivity, and create quality jobs for Nigeria’s youthful population. Nigeria will eliminate tariffs on roughly 6,000 products under the agreement, with immediate removal on 60% of them, while others will be phased out over five years. The focus of imports will be on industrial inputs, capital goods, and machinery to bolster local production, while Nigeria’s import prohibition list remains in force.
In terms of services, Nigeria has committed to 99 services across 10 sectors, including finance, transport, construction, health, and tourism. Dr. Oduwole highlighted the CEPA as a strategic tool for economic transformation and export-led growth, positioning Nigeria as a gateway for investors aiming to access Africa’s 1.4 billion-person AfCFTA market. She also noted the strong participation of UAE investors in infrastructure financing, such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project.
The minister assured that the agreement aligns with Nigeria’s commitments under the WTO, AfCFTA, and ECOWAS, and emphasized that her ministry and relevant agencies are committed to ensuring swift implementation in line with the President’s Nigeria-First directive. She called on Nigerian businesses to seize the opportunities presented by the agreement and expand their reach into the UAE market confidently.