The United Arab Emirates has identified Nigeria as a major destination for multibillion dollar investments spanning agriculture technology infrastructure mining and trade as Gulf capital seeks deeper exposure to Africa largest economy.
This position was outlined by the UAE Minister of Investment Mohamed Alsuwaidi at the first Investopia Africa event held in Lagos. He said current investment from the Gulf region remains underrepresented in Nigeria despite the scale of opportunities available across multiple sectors.
Alsuwaidi noted that investment prospects range from hundreds of millions to several billions of dollars depending on sector readiness regulatory clarity and the availability of credible local partners. He disclosed that trade between the UAE and Nigeria in non oil commodities reached 4.3 billion dollars in 2025 highlighting the growing economic relationship between both countries.
He pointed to agriculture infrastructure connectivity technology and mining as priority areas. According to him agricultural investments could run into hundreds of millions while infrastructure projects covering transport power water and utilities could attract tens of millions to billions. He added that technology driven investments such as data centres fibre optics smart metering and cloud services require heavy capital and present significant opportunities.
The UAE minister stressed that the main barrier to faster investment flow is not trust but limited market understanding and difficulty identifying the right partners. He said stronger information flow and private sector led engagement would help convert discussions into actual deals.
Also speaking the Chief Executive Officer of Investopia Jean Fares described the UAE as a global connector capable of helping Nigerian businesses access markets across Asia Europe and beyond through its logistics digital and financial infrastructure. He added that the credibility of the UAE financial system rule of law and investor protection framework enhances confidence for cross border investments.
Nigeria Minister of Industry Trade and Investment Jumoke Oduwole assured investors of government support stating that Nigeria is ready to absorb capital and facilitate deal execution across federal and state levels.
Participants agreed that sustained engagement credible partnerships and project readiness will determine how quickly commitments translate into deployed capital.
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