The economic horizon between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has brightened significantly, with bilateral non-oil trade volume reaching an impressive $5 billion in 2025. This figure, representing a substantial leap from the $4.3 billion recorded in 2024, marks a new peak in the decades-long partnership between the two nations.
The announcement was made by the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, during a strategic diplomatic visit to Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja on June 1, 2026.
Resolving the “Visa” Bottleneck
For many Nigerians, the most anticipated update concerned the movement of people. Ambassador Al-Shamsi confirmed that the previous visa restrictions and rejection issues that plagued Nigerian travelers have been largely resolved.
“I am happy to say that a lot of the issues raised when I was Minister of State for Foreign Affairs have been resolved in less than a year, especially regarding visas,” Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu stated, expressing her satisfaction with the progress.
The Ambassador disclosed that more than 15,000 Nigerians have successfully traveled to the UAE in the past year alone, following the easing of these restrictions. To further deepen these “people-to-people” ties, he announced that Etihad Airways is set to commence direct operations into Abuja later this year, providing a crucial alternative to the existing Lagos-Dubai routes.
Banking and Investment “Power Moves”
A major highlight of the meeting was the official announcement that First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) — the largest bank in the UAE — is opening its doors in Lagos. This development is expected to catalyze financial flows and provide a direct channel for UAE-based sovereign wealth funds and private investors to pump capital into Nigeria’s real estate, infrastructure, and agricultural sectors.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, noted that both countries are now accelerating the implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). This framework is designed to move beyond simple trade and into deep-seated industrial collaboration.
