Nigeria is emerging as a strategic investment frontier for the United Arab Emirates as Gulf investors look to deploy billions of dollars into Africa’s largest economy across multiple high-growth sectors.
This shift was highlighted at the inaugural Investopia Africa forum held in Lagos, where the UAE’s Minister of Investment, Mohamed Alsuwaidi, acknowledged that Nigeria remains significantly underweighted in the UAE’s global investment portfolio despite its scale, resources and market potential. He said renewed efforts are underway to bridge that gap through targeted investments in agriculture, infrastructure, technology, mining and trade-related assets.
Discussions at the event focused on opportunities capable of attracting capital ranging from several hundred million dollars to multi-billion-dollar commitments, depending on project maturity, policy consistency and the strength of local partnerships. Current trade relations between both countries already reflect growing engagement, with non-oil trade valued at $4.3bn as of 2025.
Alsuwaidi outlined agriculture as a near-term entry point for UAE investors, particularly in export-oriented farming and agribusiness backed by large-scale land investments. Infrastructure was identified as another priority area, with prospects spanning transportation systems, power generation, water management and utility services. He noted that investment size in these areas would be shaped largely by enabling legislation and bankable project frameworks.
Technology and digital infrastructure were described as major drivers of future investment flows. Opportunities include fibre-optic networks, smart metering systems, cloud platforms and data centres, which now require substantial capital outlays. Mining was also flagged as a long-term growth sector, particularly for solid minerals and critical resources, though it would demand significant infrastructure development.
While interest is strong, Alsuwaidi stressed that converting opportunities into executed deals depends on improving information access, strengthening market familiarity and identifying credible counterparts. He dismissed the idea that trust concerns hinder UAE investment in Nigeria, pointing instead to knowledge gaps and partner discovery as the primary obstacles.
According to him, private-sector engagement will be central to unlocking investment at scale, as business-to-business relationships tend to move faster and produce more tangible outcomes than government-led initiatives. He described investment platforms and networking forums as effective catalysts for deal-making.
Also speaking at the event, Investopia Chief Executive Officer, Dr Jean Fares, said the UAE’s global role as a logistics, finance and digital hub positions it as a gateway for Nigerian businesses seeking access to markets across Asia and Europe. He cited the country’s advanced transport infrastructure, high-speed digital networks, deep capital pools and strong regulatory institutions as key advantages.
Fares noted that while the UAE continues to attract international capital, it is increasingly focused on outward investment, particularly in markets that remain underrepresented in global portfolios. Nigeria, he said, stands out as a priority destination for both short- and long-term capital deployment.
Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, reaffirmed the country’s readiness to work with UAE investors, stressing the role of state governments in driving project execution. She pointed to major infrastructure developments, including the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road, as evidence of Nigeria’s capacity to absorb large-scale investment and generate measurable economic impact.
Oduwole assured investors of federal support in structuring viable projects, facilitating partnerships and ensuring deal execution, adding that Nigeria remains committed to translating investor interest into concrete outcomes.
