President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after attending the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and spending part of his annual leave in Paris, France, presidential aides said on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
Tinubu’s 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”.
The President departed Nigeria on Sunday, December 28, 2025, for the remaining portion of his annual holiday in Paris before travelling to the UAE for the summit held from January 11 to January 15, 2026.
At the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, Nigeria and the UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) designed to expand trade and economic cooperation.
The deal aims to grant duty-free access for thousands of Nigerian products into the UAE market, deepen bilateral investment ties and enhance technology transfer across sectors including energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining and renewable energy.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the summit by Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, on behalf of Nigeria, and Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, with both President Tinubu and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan witnessing the ceremony.
After the signing, Oduwole said the pact would give Nigerian exporters a gateway to global markets and allow Nigerian businesses to open offices and subsidiaries in the UAE with extended visitor privileges for business operations.
In his address to the summit, President Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s climate and green industrial finance goals, announcing plans to mobilise up to $30 billion annually to support energy transition reforms and expand electricity access nationwide.
He said the Nigeria Climate Investment Platform aims to raise $500 million for climate-resilient infrastructure and that the National Climate Change Fund is targeting $2 billion in capitalisation.
Tinubu also announced that a joint Nigeria-UAE Investopia Summit will be held in Lagos in February 2026. The event is expected to bring together investors, innovators, policymakers and business leaders to explore investment opportunities in Nigeria’s growing economy.
The Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is an annual global event that brings together world leaders, business figures and civil society to discuss sustainable development, climate action, energy transition and financing for green economies. The 2026 edition focused on building systems for sustainable global transitions in finance, technology, energy and human capital.
President Tinubu will resume official duties in Abuja following his return, with attention turning to domestic policy priorities and implementation of agreements reached during the summit.
