UAE Nigeria CEPA Expands West Africa Trade Gateway And Investment Opportunities

The United Arab Emirates and the Federal Republic of Nigeria have signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that is intended to deepen trade and investment ties. The deal supports the UAE’s wider strategy of building long-term development partnerships with economies that show strong growth potential, while also linking the country more closely with West Africa’s largest population and one of its key markets.

Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, said the CEPA with Nigeria is designed as a broad framework. It covers goods, services and investment, and is aligned with the UAE’s existing global trade network. The agreement is expected to help both sides increase economic diversification and strengthen cooperation across multiple priority sectors.

Al Zeyoudi explained that the CEPA will support and expand bilateral trade, particularly in precious stones, minerals and mining, digital trade and agricultural technology. These areas build on a base of growing non-oil trade flows between the two countries. The agreement also aims to enhance private sector collaboration and improve access for exporters in both markets.

Non-oil trade between the UAE and Nigeria reached US$3.1 billion during the first nine months of 2025, recording growth of 1 percent compared with the same period in 2024. Al Zeyoudi noted that non-oil trade increased by 55 percent in 2024 versus 2023, while UAE non-oil exports to Nigeria reached about US$460 million in the first nine months of 2025, a rise of 76 percent year-on-year.

According to Al Zeyoudi, UAE exports to Nigeria cover a wide range of goods. These include oil and its derivatives, vehicles and automotive products, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. They also include electrical machinery and electronic equipment such as telecommunications equipment and solar batteries, alongside mechanical machinery and equipment, plastics and rubber, fertilisers, and construction materials and equipment.

Al Zeyoudi said the CEPA supports Nigeria’s position as a gateway to West Africa, especially for UAE companies exporting higher value industrial products. The agreement creates broader opportunities to supply machinery and mechanical equipment, fertilisers, automotive spare parts, electric vehicles and construction equipment into Nigeria and, from there, to other markets in the region that are seeking more infrastructure and industrial inputs.

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and macroeconomic context

Nigeria’s economy underpins the partnership’s potential. Al Zeyoudi stated that Nigeria’s gross domestic product is around US$290 billion, and growth is expected to reach 3.9 percent in 2025, above the global average. Nigeria is a major energy producer and, like the UAE, is working to diversify its economy and build industrial capacity beyond hydrocarbons.

Services already play a major role in Nigeria’s economy, with the sector contributing more than 50 percent of gross domestic product. Al Zeyoudi highlighted that the CEPA includes a wide range of services activities, such as business, logistics, construction and engineering, healthcare, education, environment, finance, telecommunications, tourism and travel. The agreement is therefore aligned with Nigeria’s existing economic structure.

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, investment links and strategic projects

On investment, Al Zeyoudi said the UAE and Nigeria ratified an investment promotion and protection agreement in 2024. This framework is intended to give Emirati investors a clearer and more predictable legal environment, while also encouraging greater investment flows between the two countries. It complements the CEPA by addressing investor confidence and risk management.

Several major UAE-backed projects in Nigeria illustrate this deeper investment relationship. Over the last five years, one of the most notable has been the Centenary City smart project in Abuja, valued at US$18.5 billion. The project is a partnership between UAE-based Front Range Developers and Nigeria’s Centenary City Plc, with Eagle Hills – Abu Dhabi as a key partner, and includes Africa’s tallest tower plus educational, healthcare, commercial and residential facilities.

The Centenary City development is expected to attract about US$18 billion in foreign direct investment and create around 250,000 jobs. Al Zeyoudi added that UAE capital is also involved in Eko Atlantic City and the Abuja World Trade Centre, as well as logistics projects. DP World acquired Imperial Logistics in 2022, AD Ports Group agreed with Lagos State to develop the Lekki Corridor, and a UAE loan of US$1.2 billion supported the Lagos–Calabar coastal road project.

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and West Africa, SMEs and cocoa exports

Al Zeyoudi stressed that the CEPA strengthens the UAE’s engagement with West Africa, a region rich in natural resources and growth prospects. The agreement supports countries that wish to speed up development by attracting strategic foreign direct investment. The UAE intends to use its trade network to assist Nigerian exports, particularly cocoa, to reach high-growth markets across Asia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are a shared focus for both governments. Al Zeyoudi said the agreement aims to ease trade barriers faced by these enterprises and provide a joint platform that links support centres, business incubators, accelerators and export promotion bodies. This includes structures that work with youth- and women-owned businesses and start-ups in both the UAE and Nigeria.

The CEPA also provides for a dedicated committee to support small and medium-sized enterprises. According to Al Zeyoudi, this body will enhance the exchange of information on laws, regulations, trade processes and business registration and licensing. These measures are expected to help companies navigate both markets and maximise the benefits of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

With inputs from WAM