President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja following his participation in the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, during which Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates formalised a major trade agreement.
The President’s return was confirmed on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement titled ‘President Tinubu returns to Nigeria after Abu Dhabi trip.’
Tinubu had left the country on Sunday, December 28, 2025, travelling first to Paris to conclude the remaining part of his annual leave before heading to Abu Dhabi.
He attended the annual sustainability summit, which took place between January 11 and 15. This marked the second consecutive year the President participated in the event, having also attended the 2025 edition.
On the sidelines of the summit, Nigeria and the UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement aimed at strengthening economic ties between both countries.
The agreement provides duty-free access for thousands of Nigerian products entering the UAE market and is designed to deepen economic cooperation, boost bilateral trade and investment, enhance technology transfer, and broaden collaboration across strategic sectors such as energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining, and renewable energy.
Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, signed the agreement on behalf of the country, while 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 ceremony.
Speaking after the agreement was concluded, Oduwole said it would offer Nigerian exporters improved access to international markets.
She explained that Nigerian companies would be permitted to establish offices and subsidiaries in the UAE, adding that business owners could stay in the country for up to 90 days within a 12-month period.
Addressing participants at the summit, President Tinubu stated that Nigeria plans to mobilise up to $30bn annually in climate and green industrial finance to speed up energy transition reforms and widen electricity access across the country.
He revealed that the Climate Investment Platform would raise $500m for climate-resilient infrastructure, while the National Climate Change Fund is targeting a $2bn capitalisation.
The President also announced plans for a joint Nigeria-UAE Investopia summit scheduled to hold in Lagos in February. The event is expected to convene investors, innovators, policymakers, and business leaders to examine investment opportunities in Nigeria.
The Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is an annual global forum organised by the UAE to advance conversations around sustainability, climate action, and energy transition.
The 2026 edition, themed “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go,” focused on the integration required to drive sustainable transitions across finance, technology, energy, and human capital.
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