RismadarVoice Reporters
January 17, 2026
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after participating in the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, where Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates signed a major trade agreement aimed at deepening economic cooperation between both countries.
The President’s return was confirmed in a statement released on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.
President Tinubu had departed Nigeria on Sunday, December 28, 2025, for Paris for the remaining part of his annual leave before proceeding to Abu Dhabi to attend the global sustainability summit held from January 11 to 15.
He also attended the same summit in 2025.
On the sidelines of the event, Nigeria and the UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which grants duty-free access to thousands of Nigerian products entering the UAE market.
The agreement is designed to strengthen bilateral trade and investment, enhance technology transfer and expand cooperation across key sectors including energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining and renewable energy.
The agreement was signed on behalf of Nigeria by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, 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.
Speaking after the ceremony, Dr. Oduwole described the agreement as a gateway to global markets for Nigerian exporters, noting that Nigerian businesses would be allowed to establish offices and subsidiaries in the UAE. She added that Nigerian business owners could also stay in the UAE for up to 90 days within a 12-month period.
In his address at the summit, President Tinubu announced Nigeria’s plan to mobilise up to 30 billion dollars annually in climate and green industrial finance to accelerate energy transition reforms and expand electricity access nationwide.
He disclosed that the Nigeria Climate Investment Platform is expected to mobilise 500 million dollars for climate-resilient infrastructure, while the National Climate Change Fund is targeting a capitalisation of 2 billion dollars.
The President also announced that a joint Nigeria-UAE Investopia Summit will be held in Lagos in February, bringing together global investors, policymakers and business leaders to explore investment opportunities in Nigeria.
The Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is an annual global initiative organised by the UAE to promote sustainability, climate action and energy transition.
The 2026 edition, on the theme “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go,” focused on integrating finance, technology, energy and human capital for sustainable development.
