Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to eliminate tariffs on more than 13,500 products, marking a major milestone in bilateral trade relations between the two countries.
Under the new arrangement, Nigeria will remove tariffs on 6,243 goods imported from the UAE, while the UAE will lift tariffs on 7,315 Nigerian products, according to details released by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
The tariff cuts are contained in the Nigeria–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signed in January 2026, and are aimed at boosting trade, expanding market access, and encouraging investment flows between both countries.
The ministry said the agreement is expected to support Nigeria’s non-oil export expansion and economic diversification efforts, while opening new opportunities for Nigerian businesses and professionals in the UAE market.
Under the goods component of the pact, Nigeria will immediately eliminate tariffs on 3,949 products, representing over 63 per cent of the total covered items.
Tariffs on an additional 2,294 products will be phased out over a five-year period, while 123 products were excluded from tariff liberalisation.
On its part, the UAE will immediately scrap tariffs on 2,805 Nigerian products, phase out tariffs on 1,468 products within three years, and remove duties on 3,042 products within five years.
The UAE excluded or prohibited 593 products from the agreement.
The CEPA was signed on January 13, 2026, following negotiations led by Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, with support from the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Nigeria Customs Service.
Dr Oduwole and the UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, signed the agreement in the presence of President Bola Tinubu and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
According to the ministry, the agreement is designed to deliver broad economic benefits, including expanded export opportunities, increased investment inflows, job creation—especially for young Nigerians—and stronger economic cooperation between both countries.
The government said the tariff removals would significantly improve access for Nigerian agricultural, primary, industrial, and manufactured goods in the UAE market.
For agricultural and primary products, the UAE will immediately eliminate tariffs on items such as fish and seafood, cereals, oil seeds, live animals and meat products, fruits and nuts, raw hides and skins, cotton, and other animal products.
Tariffs on cocoa and cocoa products, coffee, tea and spices, mineral fuels, wood products, precious stones, and animal and vegetable oils will be phased out over three to five years.
In the industrial sector, the UAE will immediately remove tariffs on pharmaceuticals, chemicals, paper products, books, and newspapers, while duties on machinery, vehicles, electrical equipment, clothing, furniture, footwear, ceramics, and glass will be eliminated gradually within five years.
However, the UAE will retain import bans on 35 items, including pork products, narcotics, used tyres, and asbestos-related goods.
On Nigeria’s side, the agreement opens its market to UAE industrial and consumer goods. Nigeria will immediately lift tariffs on mineral fuels, machinery, vehicles, electrical equipment, iron and steel, and plastics, while duties on fish, fruits, vegetables, and apparel will be phased out over five years.
Nigeria excluded 123 sensitive products from tariff elimination, including meat and dairy items, selected vegetables, vegetable oils, cocoa preparations, flour products, tomato paste, alcoholic beverages, soaps, detergents, and certain textiles. The government clarified that Nigeria’s existing Import Prohibition List remains unchanged.
Beyond goods, the agreement also covers services and investment. Nigeria made commitments in 99 services across 10 sectors, while the UAE committed to 108 services across 11 sectors.
The ministry said Nigerian business visitors will be able to enter the UAE to explore trade and investment opportunities, establish companies, and operate in sectors covered by the agreement.
The Federal Government described the CEPA as a tool to help Nigerian businesses expand with confidence, attract foreign direct investment, accelerate non-oil exports, and advance the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
It added that the agreement aligns with Nigeria’s obligations under the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and ECOWAS, without undermining existing regional and continental commitments.
The government said it would work with relevant agencies—including the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, and Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission—to ensure smooth implementation.
Exporters and investors were advised to seek detailed guidance on product eligibility, rules of origin, and export procedures from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and other relevant agencies.
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