President Muhammadu Buhari’s Second Term Inauguration: An
Opportunity to Further Strengthen UAE - Nigeria Relations
Acknowledging that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Federal
Republic of Nigeria are separated geographically, both countries have
over the years emerged as major regional players in their respective
regions and as such, have strong bilateral relations with countries
beyond their regions. This is the premise for increasing cooperation
between both countries. Nigeria currently has the largest economy in
Africa, with potentials to grow further in various sectors of its
economy. In the UAE, Dubai and Abu Dhabi were ranked at the top
for maintaining the best quality of living in the Middle East. Such
ranking is attributed to high marks in the business environment,
political and social environment, as well as in education and public
services. In addition to this, the UAE leads the Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC) region, in the global ranking of 140 countries, for
global competitiveness.
A strong interest in enhancing the mutually beneficial relationship can
be seen in the number of high-level bilateral visits over the past few
years. The most recent visit occurred on April 8 th 2019 when His
Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, delivered the keynote
address at the 9 th Annual Investment Meeting hosted in Dubai. As part
of the invitation extended by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed
Al Nahyan, UAE President and Supreme Commander of the UAE
Armed Forces, President Buhari highlighted the significance of digital
globalization, which has enabled innovation and transformative ideas
that are here to stay. The President also stated that the digital world
has become the new frontier for both good and evil, citing the alleged
recent use of cyberspace to manipulate elections, subvert the
democratic rights of citizens as well as propagate violence. Such
remark challenges world leaders to ensure that this space is inclusive,
accessible and safe.
As part of his official visit to Dubai, President Buhari also met with
UAE investors in various sectors where they engaged in highly

productive discussions around the shared interests of both nations.
This represented the vast potential for the two nations to further
bolster new partnerships based on mutual respect, shared concerns
and values. There are tremendous opportunities for cooperation and
investment between both countries. For example, increasing trade
between both countries would enhance the drive for economic
diversification.
To date, there are over 20 Nigerian trademarks registered with the
Ministry of Economy in Dubai. The investments of Nigerians in the
UAE rose to approximately USD 120 million in 2016, this being due to
the ease of doing business policy of the UAE government. Also, the
latest figures released in 2017 by the UAE Ministry of Economy
showed that the overall bilateral non-oil trade between both countries
is about USD 1.2 billion. The two main UAE airlines (Emirates and
Etihad Airways) operate a combined 22 flights weekly from Abu Dhabi
and Dubai to Lagos and Abuja. This is set to increase to 25 flights a
week, as Emirates airline is increasing its Dubai to Abuja route from
the current 4 flights a week to 7 flights a week (daily) starting June 1 st
2019. This increase in weekly flights can be attributed to the UAE’s
booming tourism industry, in addition to new investment opportunities
being explored by both countries.
The possibility for both economies to achieve even more with deeper
synergies exists, but to achieve this it is imperative to establish the
right legislative infrastructure. The UAE has always viewed Nigeria a
key partner and as such, signed several bilateral agreements with
Nigeria during President Buhari’s visit to the UAE in January 2016.
This includes the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement and the
Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement. Both have been
ratified by the UAE in July 2017, but are currently awaiting ratification
by Nigeria before they become effective. When in full effect, these
agreements will further promote and protect mutual investments.
Aside from strengthening bilateral relations to promote further
economic prosperity, the UAE also supports Nigeria in the
humanitarian and development sphere. This is backed by the fact that

for the fifth year in a row, the Organization for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD) named the country as the world’s largest
international aid donor compared to its gross national income (GNI). It
must also be noted that the UAE’s aid objectives are not limited by
geography, race, colour or religion of the beneficiary. In the contrary,
the country holds a strong belief that all people deserve an improved
quality of life, regardless of their background.
Throughout the year, the UAE Embassy in Abuja plans, coordinates
and executes various humanitarian-related activities and initiatives to
benefit underprivileged communities all over Nigeria. As recently as
April 23 rd 2019, representatives from the Noor Dubai Foundation -- a
UAE non-governmental charity organization -- signed an agreement
with Katsina State government officials to establish the Katsina
Comprehensive Eye Care Centre.
This initiative is significant because it aims to improve the quality of
life and socioeconomic welfare of millions of people in Katsina and
neighbouring states through increased access to quality and
affordable eye care services. In addition, this large-scale project aims
to provide a socioeconomic yield of USD 8 million in increased
productivity for people. Providing healthcare resources is something
that the UAE is proud to do, as this is one of the pillars of our
country’s foreign policy to improve the quality of life for all populations.
The recent inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo as the President and Vice President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria marked the commencement of the
second term of their administration. This event presents more
prospects to strengthen mutual cooperation between both nations in
all areas of interest. The UAE looks forward to further solidifying its
existing relationship with Nigeria. It is important that we take
advantage of our capabilities and unleash our potential to strive above
expectations and push the boundaries of partnerships, allowing for a
bright and progressive future for both nations.

His Excellency Dr. Fahad Obaid Al Taffaq
United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Nigeria