President Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria after 21 days abroad.
Newsone Nigeria reports that President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja after attending the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, where he witnessed the signing of a trade agreement between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
The Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the President’s return in a statement titled ‘President Tinubu returns to Nigeria after Abu Dhabi trip’ which was released on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
President Tinubu departed Nigeria for Paris on Sunday, December 28, 2025, for the remaining portion of his annual leave. He then proceeded to Abu Dhabi for the annual Abu Dhabi summit, which ran from January 11 to 15.
On the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi summit, Nigeria and the UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
The agreement grants duty-free access for thousands of Nigerian products into the UAE market and aims to deepen economic cooperation, boost bilateral trade and investment, enhance technology transfer, and expand collaboration across key sectors, including energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining, and renewable energy.
Jumoke Oduwole, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, signed on behalf of Nigeria, while UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi signed for the Emirates. Both President Tinubu and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan witnessed the signing.
Speaking after the ceremony, Oduwole said the agreement would give Nigerian exporters a gateway to global markets.
The Minister noted that Nigerian businesses would be able to open offices and subsidiaries in the UAE, while business owners could stay in the country for up to 90 days within 12 months.
In his address to the summit, President Tinubu announced that Nigeria aims to mobilise up to $30bn annually in climate and green industrial finance as part of efforts to accelerate energy transition reforms and expand electricity access nationwide.
President Tinubu disclosed that Nigeria’s Climate Investment Platform would mobilise $500m for climate-resilient infrastructure, while the National Climate Change Fund is targeting a $2bn capitalisation.
The Nigerian President also announced that a joint Nigeria-UAE Investopia summit would be held in Lagos in February.
