Nigeria, UAE New Trade Agreement Eliminates Tariffs on Over 13,000 Products

News in brief:

-Nigeria, UAE scrap tariffs on more than 13,000 products under new CEPA.

-The agreement opens the Arabian market to Nigerian agricultural and manufactured exports.

Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to eliminate tariffs on more than 13,000 products under a newly signed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement aimed at expanding trade, boosting non-oil exports and deepening bilateral investment flows.

The agreement, signed in January 2026, provides for Nigeria to remove tariffs on 6,243 products imported from the UAE, while the UAE will eliminate tariffs on 7,315 products originating from Nigeria.

The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment disclosed the details on Tuesday in a document outlining the key provisions of the pact.

Nigeria’s Tariff Commitments Under the Agreement

Under the trade in goods component, Nigeria committed to immediately lifting tariffs on 3,949 products, representing 63.3%, while duties on 2,294 products will be phased out over five years.

Nigeria excluded 123 products from tariff liberalisation, citing the need to protect sensitive domestic sectors. The government also clarified that Nigeria’s import prohibition list remains in force as a separate policy measure.

UAE Opens Market to Nigerian Products

On its part, the UAE agreed to remove tariffs on 7,315 Nigerian products. Tariffs on 2,805 products, or 38.3%, will be eliminated immediately. Duties on 1,468 products will be phased out within three years, while tariffs on 3,042 products will be removed within five years.

The UAE excluded or prohibited 593 products from the agreement, including pork and pork products, narcotic substances, used tyres, and asbestos-containing materials.

Agricultural and Industrial Exports Gain Access

The agreement opens the UAE market to a broad range of Nigerian agricultural, primary and manufactured goods.

Tariffs will be removed immediately on products such as fish and seafood, cereals and milling products, oil seeds, live animals and meat products, fruits and nuts, cotton and vegetable textile fibres, raw hides and skins, and other animal products.

Tariffs on cocoa and cocoa preparations, coffee, tea and spices, mineral fuels, wood and wood products, precious stones and metals, as well as animal and vegetable fats and oils, will be phased out over a three to five-year period.

For industrial goods, the UAE will immediately eliminate tariffs on pharmaceutical products, chemicals, paper and paperboard, printed books and newspapers. Duties on machinery, vehicles, electrical equipment, apparel, footwear, furniture, ceramics and glass will be phased out within five years.

Enhanced Access for UAE Goods into Nigeria

Nigeria will immediately remove tariffs on UAE exports, including mineral fuels, machinery, vehicles, electrical equipment, iron and steel, plastics and related articles. Tariffs on fish, fruits, vegetables and apparel will be phased out over five years.

Products excluded by Nigeria include meat and dairy products, selected vegetables, vegetable oils, cocoa preparations, cereals and flour products, tomato paste, alcoholic beverages, soaps and detergents, and certain cotton yarns and fabrics.

Services, Investment and Mobility Provisions

Beyond trade in goods, the agreement covers services and investment liberalisation.

Nigeria’s commitments span 99 services across 10 sectors, while the UAE’s commitments cover 108 services across 11 sectors.

Under the agreement, Nigerian business visitors will be able to enter the UAE to explore trade and investment opportunities and establish corporate entities in covered sectors.

The Federal Government said the pact would strengthen investor confidence, support job creation, particularly for young Nigerians, and accelerate the country’s non-oil export drive under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Implementation and Trade Compliance

The government noted that the agreement is consistent with Nigeria’s obligations under the World Trade Organisation (WTO), ECOWAS and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) frameworks.

Relevant ministries, departments and agencies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, have been tasked with ensuring effective implementation.

Exporters and investors were advised to seek guidance on product coverage, rules of origin and export procedures from the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and other relevant authorities.