Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt —Nigeria;s President Bola Tinubu and United Arab Emirates’president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, have taken steps to strengthen economic ties between the nations, with the UAE leader accepting an invitation to visit Nigeria this year.
The invitation came during bilateral talks held on the sidelines of the ongoing Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2025, where both leaders explored avenues to deepen economic cooperation and attract investments into Nigeria.
President Tinubu highlighted the impact of his administration’s economic reforms, which have stabilized the economy and rekindled investor confidence.
“Our economic reforms are stabilizing and growing the economy. We’ve seen billion-dollar investments from international oil companies and other foreign investors, signaling renewed confidence in Nigeria as a business destination,” Tinubu stated.
He urged the UAE to partner with Nigeria in its economic development drive.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed expressed the UAE’s commitment to strengthening ties with Nigeria, emphasizing the importance of economic collaboration.
The meeting, held at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi, also provided an opportunity to discuss shared goals on climate action and sustainable development.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from both countries; accompanying President Tinubu were Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Finance Wale Edun, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
On the UAE side, the delegation included Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; and Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, alongside Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology; and Salem Saeed Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Nigeria.
