President Tinubu returns to Nigeria after Abu Dhabi trip, witnessing a trade deal with UAE to boost economic ties, investment, and sustainable development

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after spending 20 days abroad on his annual leave, during which he attended the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and witnessed the signing of a major trade agreement between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.

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Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, confirmed the President’s return in a statement titled “President Tinubu returns to Nigeria after Abu Dhabi trip,” issued on Saturday.

The President departed Nigeria for Paris on December 28, 2025, before proceeding to Abu Dhabi for the summit, held from January 11 to 15. In 2025, Tinubu also attended the event, reflecting Nigeria’s sustained engagement in global discussions on climate action, energy transition, and sustainable development.

On the sidelines of the 2026 summit, Nigeria and the UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) designed to deepen economic cooperation, expand bilateral trade and investment, enhance technology transfer, and foster collaboration across key sectors, including energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining, and renewable energy.

The agreement, signed on behalf of Nigeria by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, and by UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi for the Emirates, grants duty-free access for thousands of Nigerian products into the UAE market.

It also allows Nigerian businesses to establish offices and subsidiaries in the UAE, with business owners eligible to stay up to 90 days within a 12-month period.

Both President Tinubu and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan witnessed the signing ceremony. Speaking afterward, Dr Oduwole noted that the agreement would provide Nigerian exporters with enhanced access to global markets.

During his address at the summit, President Tinubu announced plans to mobilise up to $30 billion annually in climate and green industrial finance to accelerate energy transition reforms and expand electricity access nationwide.

He also disclosed that Nigeria’s Climate Investment Platform would mobilise $500 million for climate-resilient infrastructure, while the National Climate Change Fund targets $2 billion to support climate-related projects.

The President further announced that a joint Nigeria-UAE Investopia summit would be held in Lagos in February, bringing together investors, innovators, policymakers, and business leaders to explore investment opportunities and strengthen economic partnerships.

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The 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, themed “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go,” focused on integrating finance, technology, energy, and human capital to drive sustainable transitions globally.