Nigeria–UAE Trade Deal Opens Duty-Free Access for Thousands of Nigerian Exports

Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates have signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to expand non-oil exports and lower the cost of Nigerian goods entering the UAE market. The agreement was signed in Abu Dhabi on January 13, 2026, with senior officials from both countries present.

Under the deal, the UAE will eliminate tariffs on 7,315 Nigerian products, giving them preferential access to the UAE market and, in many cases, duty-free access. A large batch receives tariff removal immediately, while others will be phased in over 3 to 5 years.

The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment says the immediate duty-free list includes agricultural and industrial goods such as fish and seafood, oil seeds, cereals, cotton, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.

Tariff cuts will be phased, not all at once

Details released around the agreement show the UAE’s tariff removal is structured in stages:

Tariffs are removed immediately on 2,805 product lines. Tariffs on 1,468 products are expected to be removed within three years, while 3,042 products are expected to have tariffs removed within five years.

This matters because it gives Nigerian producers a clear timeline to scale production, upgrade packaging and standards, and prepare for stronger competition as the market opens further.

Nigeria also opens its market to UAE goods

Nigeria, on its part, will eliminate tariffs on 6,243 products imported from the UAE, largely concentrated in industrial inputs, capital goods, and machinery. The government says the aim is to support local production capacity, not to flood the market with finished consumer goods.

Nigeria also says its import prohibition list remains in force, meaning restricted items remain restricted even with the new deal.

Beyond goods: services and business mobility

CEPA is not only about products. Nigeria’s commitments on services cover 99 specific services across 10 sectors, while the framework also supports business establishment and mobility.

Government briefings on the deal say Nigerian business visitors can enter the UAE for up to 90 days within 12 months for trade and investment purposes, and Nigerian firms can set up entities such as branches or subsidiaries.

Why business groups are excited

Business and pro-government groups are framing the deal as a practical step toward export diversification. The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) described the agreement as a strategic milestone that could boost trade, investment, industrial growth, and private sector productivity.

The Tinubu Stakeholders Forum (TSF) also said the scale of UAE market access could accelerate non-oil exports and reduce reliance on hydrocarbons, pointing to the large number of product lines gaining preferential access.