Trade between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates is growing at a pace that is catching the attention of both governments. Non-oil commerce between the two countries climbed to $5 billion in 2025, up from $4.3 billion the previous year and officials believe that figure could nearly double within two years.
UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, revealed the numbers during a meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu in Abuja, describing the trajectory as a reflection of deepening economic engagement between the two nations. If the current momentum holds, he said, bilateral trade could reach $8 billion by 2027.
The visit carried more than symbolic weight. Al-Shamsi arrived with concrete announcements. The First Abu Dhabi Bank is set to open its Lagos office soon, adding a significant financial institution to Nigeria’s banking landscape and creating a more direct channel for investment flows between the two countries.
Etihad Airways also confirmed it will launch operations into Abuja later this year, improving connectivity and easing the friction that has sometimes complicated business travel.
On the long-running issue of visa restrictions, a sore point for many Nigerians, the ambassador said meaningful progress had been made. Rejection rates have dropped significantly, and more than 15,000 Nigerians made the trip to the UAE over the past year following the easing of travel requirements.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu welcomed the updates, noting that several concerns she had flagged during her earlier tenure as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs had since been resolved. She reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to attracting foreign direct investment, including from UAE sovereign wealth funds and private sector players, and pointed to the recently signed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement as a framework that could unlock even greater opportunities for businesses and workers on both sides.
The UAE, for its part, signalled that the relationship extends beyond commerce. Al-Shamsi noted that his country had issued at least eight formal statements condemning terrorist attacks in Nigeria, a gesture Abuja is unlikely to overlook as it navigates an ongoing security challenge that has international dimensions.
