President Bola Tinubu has arrived back in Abuja after participating in the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in the United Arab Emirates.
The President’s return was announced 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.’
According to the statement, Tinubu had earlier left Nigeria on Sunday, December 28, 2025, for Paris to complete the remainder of his annual leave before proceeding to Abu Dhabi for the global sustainability summit.
The event, which held from January 11 to 15, brought together world leaders, policymakers, and investors to deliberate on issues surrounding climate action, energy transition, and sustainable development. The President also attended the same summit in 2025.
A major highlight of Tinubu’s visit was the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between Nigeria and the UAE on the sidelines of the summit.
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The trade pact is designed to strengthen economic relations between both countries by granting duty-free access for thousands of Nigerian products into the UAE market.
It also seeks to deepen economic cooperation, boost bilateral trade and investment, enhance technology transfer, and expand collaboration across key sectors, including 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 Federal Government, while UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, signed for the Emirates.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by President Tinubu and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
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Speaking after the agreement was formalised, Oduwole described it as a major opportunity for Nigerian businesses, saying it would open wider international doors for local exporters.
She explained that the deal would allow Nigerian companies to establish offices and subsidiaries in the UAE and enable business owners to remain in the country for up to 90 days within a year.
During his address at the summit, President Tinubu outlined Nigeria’s ambitious plans to strengthen climate financing and expand clean energy access.
He revealed that the country plans to raise as much as $30bn annually in climate and green industrial finance to drive energy transition reforms and improve electricity supply nationwide.
Tinubu further announced that Nigeria’s Climate Investment Platform is set to mobilise $500m for climate-resilient infrastructure projects, while the National Climate Change Fund is working toward a $2bn capital base.
As part of efforts to deepen economic engagement with the UAE, the President disclosed that a joint Nigeria-UAE Investopia summit would take place in Lagos in February.
The forum is expected to bring together investors, innovators, policymakers, and business leaders to explore fresh investment opportunities in Nigeria.
The Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, organised annually by the UAE, serves as a global platform for discussions on sustainability and clean energy solutions.
The 2026 edition was held under the theme “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go,” with a focus on integrating finance, technology, energy, and human capital to drive sustainable global transitions.
