UAE Signs Trade Deals With Nigeria At Sustainability Week

President Bola Tinubu has announced that Nigeria will co-host Investopia with the United Arab Emirates in Lagos in February, as part of efforts to attract global capital and accelerate sustainable investment into the country.

The President made the disclosure on Tuesday while addressing participants at the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, where Nigeria also sealed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the UAE to strengthen trade, investment and cooperation across key sectors.

On the sidelines of the summit, President Tinubu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan witnessed the signing of the CEPA, alongside Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, and the UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.

Describing the agreement as both historic and strategic, Tinubu said it would deepen collaboration in renewable energy, infrastructure, logistics, aviation, agriculture and digital trade, while unlocking long-term opportunities for citizens of both countries.

He explained that Investopia would serve as a platform bringing together investors, policymakers, innovators and business leaders to turn ideas into bankable projects.

“We warmly invite our partners to join us and help build the next chapter of sustainable and shared prosperity for Nigeria, Africa, and the world,” the President said.

Tinubu told the summit that Nigeria is targeting up to 30 billion dollars annually in climate and green industrial finance as it accelerates energy transition reforms and expands electricity access nationwide.

He stressed that power supply remains central to economic growth, noting that “the foundation of every modern economy is electricity.”

Highlighting the challenges faced by developing economies, the President called for reforms in global finance, urging a shift away from rigid sovereign guarantee requirements. “Instead, the focus should be on blended finance and first-loss capital mechanisms that allow private sustainable capital flows directly into our green projects without further straining national balance sheets,” he said.

He noted that Nigeria has strengthened its climate governance architecture through the adoption of a National Carbon Market Activation Policy and the launch of a National Carbon Registry to boost transparency and investor confidence.

President Tinubu also identified the Electricity Act 2023 as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s energy reforms, explaining that it supports decentralised power generation and distribution to underserved communities.

According to him, the country’s climate investment drive includes a 500 million dollar distributed renewable energy fund supported by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, as well as a 750 million dollar World Bank programme expected to deliver clean electricity to over 17.5 million Nigerians.

Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to net-zero emissions by 2060 under the Energy Transition Plan, Tinubu said the goal would be pursued alongside industrial expansion and universal energy access. He also invited foreign investors to partner with Nigeria in the lithium and critical minerals sector, emphasising local processing and value addition.

The President said recent economic reforms are yielding measurable outcomes, pointing to a 21 percent rise in non-oil exports and increased capital inflows.

“These reforms, alongside wider fiscal and monetary measures, are delivering results. Non-oil exports have grown by 21 per cent, supported by a more diversified product base,” he said, adding that Nigeria currently holds over 50 billion dollars in investment commitments across strategic sectors.

Tinubu assured global partners of Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate in building a development model that is sustainable, inclusive and enduring.