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Strategic Lens

Nigeria and United Arab Emirates

First country

Second country

In 2025, Nigeria sold USD 1.08 billion of goods to United Arab Emirates and bought USD 1.87 billion from it. Both are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Their agreement score in UN General Assembly voting was 94 percent in 2023, and 95 percent on average over 2019 to 2023. In 2024, 15 thousand people born in Nigeria lived in United Arab Emirates. In 2025, United Arab Emirates sold USD 15.4 million of electrical and electronic equipment to Nigeria.

Benefits

  • BothTwo-way trade in goods grew 123 percent, from USD 1.32 billion in 2019 to USD 2.95 billion in 2025.
  • BothTrade in mineral fuels and oils runs both ways in similar amounts: Nigeria sold USD 1.07 billion and United Arab Emirates sold USD 1.29 billion in 2025.
  • BothTwo-way trade in agricultural and food products grew about 11 times, from USD 9.9 million in 2019 to USD 109 million in 2025.

Constraints

  • BothTrade is concentrated: mineral fuels and oils were 80 percent of goods trade between them in 2025.
  • BothFlows are one-sided: in 2025, United Arab Emirates sold USD 99.2 million of agricultural and food products, against USD 9.4 million the other way.
  • BothFlows are one-sided: in 2025, United Arab Emirates sold USD 282 million of machinery, vehicles and iron and steel, and Nigeria sold almost none.

Sources: UN Comtrade (public preview API), annual goods trade, HS classification (retrieved 26 September 2026); Wikidata, statements on membership (property P463) (retrieved 26 September 2026); United Nations General Assembly voting data (Voeten, Strezhnev and Bailey), agreement scores (retrieved 25 September 2026); UN DESA International Migrant Stock 2024 (retrieved 25 September 2026)

Last updated on 26 September 2026

At a glance

Goods trade, both ways
USD 2.95 billion
2025, as reported by Nigeria
Nigeria to United Arab Emirates
USD 1.08 billion
2025, as reported by Nigeria
United Arab Emirates to Nigeria
USD 1.87 billion
2025, as reported by Nigeria

What connects Nigeria and United Arab Emirates

Economy

Trade in goodsIn 2025, Nigeria sold USD 1.08 billion of goods to United Arab Emirates and bought USD 1.87 billion from it.

Resources

EnergyIn 2025, Nigeria sold USD 1.07 billion of mineral fuels and oils to United Arab Emirates and bought USD 1.29 billion from it.Agriculture and foodIn 2025, Nigeria sold USD 9.4 million of agricultural and food products to United Arab Emirates and bought USD 99.2 million from it.

Industry

Supply chains and manufacturingIn 2025, United Arab Emirates sold USD 282 million of machinery, vehicles and iron and steel to Nigeria.TechnologyIn 2025, United Arab Emirates sold USD 15.4 million of electrical and electronic equipment to Nigeria.

Diplomacy

Multilateral alignmentBoth are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Their agreement score in UN General Assembly voting was 94 percent in 2023, and 95 percent on average over 2019 to 2023.Diaspora and mobilityIn 2024, 15 thousand people born in Nigeria lived in United Arab Emirates.

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