- The New Trade agreement
Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in January 2026. The agreement establishes a formal framework governing trade in goods, trade in services, investment, and business mobility between both countries.
- UAE to remove tariffs on over 7,000 Nigerian products
Under the agreement, the UAE will remove tariffs on 7,315 Nigerian products. About 38.3% of these products will enjoy immediate duty-free access, while remaining tariffs will be phased our over a defined transition period.
- Nigeria to phase out tariffs on selected UAE imports
Nigeria will remove tariffs on 6,243 products imported from the UAE. Most of these tariff eliminations will take effect gradually over 3 to 5 years, with a limited list of excluded and prohibited products retained.
- Wider export access for Nigerian goods
The agreement improves export access for Nigerian agricultural, industrial, and manufactured goods. Covered exports include food products, raw materials, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and selected consumer goods, subject to rules of origin and regulatory standards.
- Nigerian firms allowed to establish operations in the UAE
CEPA allows Nigerian businesses to establish companies, branches, subsidiaries, or representative offices in the UAE. These commercial presence provisions are subject to applicable UAE laws and licensing requirements.
- Business travel and professional mobility provisions included
Nigerian business visitors are permitted to enter the UAE for up to 90 days within a 12-month period. The agreement also allows Nigerian managers, executives, and specialists to work in UAE-based entities for renewable multi-year periods.
- Services trade opened across multiple sectors
In services trade, Nigeria made commitments covering 99 services across 10 sectors, while the UAE committed 108 services across 11 sectors. These include tourism, professional services, creative industries, financial services, and telecommunications.
