The Federal Government has announced the elimination of tariffs on 6,243 products imported into Nigeria from the United Arab Emirates, while the UAE has removed tariffs on 7,315 products imported from Nigeria.

The move is part of a newly concluded trade pact designed to widen market access for Nigerian goods, businesses, and professionals.

The disclosure was made on Tuesday by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment through a document outlining details of the Nigeria–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement signed in January 2026.

According to the ministry, the agreement will “expand market access opportunities for Nigerian products, businesses, and professionals into the UAE while facilitating investment flows,” describing it as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s non-oil export expansion and economic diversification drive.

In relation to trade in goods, the ministry stated that Nigeria has committed to eliminating tariffs on 6,243 products imported from the UAE, while the UAE has agreed to eliminate tariffs on 7,315 products imported from Nigeria.

Under the agreement, Nigeria will immediately remove tariffs on 3,949 products, accounting for 63.3 per cent of the total. Tariffs on another 2,294 products will be phased out over a five-year period, while 123 products have been excluded entirely from tariff liberalisation.

On its part, the UAE will immediately eliminate tariffs on 2,805 products, representing 38.3 per cent of the total. Tariffs on 1,468 products will be removed within three years, while those on 3,042 products will be phased out over five years. The UAE excluded or prohibited 593 products from the arrangement.

The two countries signed the CEPA on January 13, 2026, following negotiations led by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, with support from the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Nigeria Customs Service.

The agreement was signed by Oduwole and the UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, in the presence of President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The ministry described the pact as “a pragmatic and comprehensive agreement expected to deliver significant economic and strategic benefits,” including expanded trade opportunities, enhanced market access for exports, increased flows of high-quality investment, and job creation, particularly for young Nigerians.

It further noted that the tariff elimination would open the UAE market to a broad range of Nigerian agricultural, primary, industrial, and manufactured goods.

Under agricultural and primary products, the UAE will immediately remove tariffs on fish and seafood, cereals and milling products, oil seeds, live animals and meat products, fruits and nuts, raw hides and skins, cotton and vegetable textile fibres, and other animal products.

Tariffs on cocoa and cocoa preparations, coffee, tea and spices, mineral fuels, wood and wood articles, precious stones and metals, and animal and vegetable fats and oils will be removed over a period of three to five years.

For industrial and manufactured goods, the UAE will immediately remove tariffs on pharmaceutical products, organic and inorganic chemicals, paper and paperboard, printed books, and newspapers.

Tariffs on machinery, vehicles, electrical equipment, apparel, furniture, footwear, ceramics, and glass will be phased out by the UAE over a three to five-year period.

However, the UAE will maintain import prohibitions on 35 products, including pork and pork products, narcotic substances, used tyres, and asbestos-containing products.

On the Nigerian side, the agreement grants market access to UAE industrial and consumer goods. Nigeria will immediately remove tariffs on mineral fuels, machinery, vehicles, electrical equipment, iron and steel, plastics, and related articles.

Tariffs on fish, fruits, vegetables, and apparel imported from the UAE will be phased out by Nigeria over a five-year period.

The ministry explained that Nigeria excluded 123 products from tariff elimination. These include meat and dairy products, certain vegetables, vegetable oils, cocoa preparations, cereal and flour products, tomato paste, alcoholic beverages, soaps and detergents, and some cotton yarns and fabrics.

“Nigeria’s Import Prohibition List remains in effect as a separate measure,” the statement added.

Beyond goods, the ministry said the CEPA would deepen services trade and investment flows between both countries. Nigeria’s commitments cover 99 specific services across 10 sectors, while the UAE’s commitments cover 108 services across 11 sectors.

“Nigerian business visitors can enter the UAE to explore trade and investment opportunities in the sectors covered under this agreement,” the ministry said, adding that Nigerians could also “establish corporate entities to operate in the UAE.”

The Federal Government stated that it secured the agreement to enable Nigerian businesses “to move with confidence, seize opportunities in the UAE, and benefit from robust protections,” adding that the pact would accelerate non-oil exports and support the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

It further noted that the agreement would address obstacles to foreign direct investment from the UAE into Nigeria and strengthen Nigeria’s position as “the preferred destination for international investors and the gateway into the markets of the ECOWAS sub-region and the African Continental Free Trade Area.”

The government explained that the CEPA aligns with Nigeria’s obligations under the World Trade Organisation, the African Continental Free Trade Area, and the Economic Community of West African States, and does not undermine Nigeria’s commitments under existing regional and continental trade frameworks.

Following the signing of the agreement, the Federal Government pledged to collaborate with relevant ministries, departments, and agencies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, to ensure effective implementation and facilitate increased trade and investment flows between Nigeria and the UAE.

It also advised exporters and investors to seek further information on product coverage, services, rules of origin, and export procedures from the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, as well as other relevant agencies.