The United Arab Emirates President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has accepted an invitation by President Bola Tinubu to visit Nigeria.
The invitation was extended during bilateral talks on the sidelines of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week held at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi.
President Tinubu, who arrived in Abu Dhabi as a guest of the UAE leader, participated in the forum aimed at fostering global collaboration to address pressing challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, and energy crises.
Speaking at the event on Wednesday, President Tinubu affirmed Nigeria’s readiness to embrace partnerships that promote a sustainable future and position the nation as a key player in the global green energy transition.
During their discussions, President Tinubu expressed his administration’s commitment to economic reforms that create a conducive environment for foreign investments.
According to presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu called on the UAE to partner with Nigeria in developing sectors critical to economic growth, especially in green energy, infrastructure, and technology.
Tinubu spoke on the second day of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week on “From Climate Imperatives into Economic Prosperity: Bridging Africa with the Global Energy Future”
Quoting the president, “The fight against climate change is not merely an environmental necessity but a global economic opportunity to reshape the trajectory of our continent and the global energy landscape.
“As leaders, stakeholders and citizens of our planet, we stand at a critical juncture in human history. To succeed, we must innovate, collaborate and act decisively as one global community,” he said.
Reiterating his administration’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, President Tinubu assured the audience that the Nigerian government had developed actionable programmes in line with global expectations, bearing in mind Nigeria’s economic and political expectations.
“We have embraced a vision of sustainability that aligns with global aspirations while addressing local realities. Our efforts are anchored on three pillars: Energy Transition, Climate Resilience, and Sustainable Development. My administration recognises the importance of reducing carbon emissions and a just transition to clean and renewable energy, promoting environmental sustainability and economic growth.
“Our energy transition plans, like many nations, are aimed at diversifying energy sources and reducing dependency on fossil fuels, prioritising the transition to cleaner energy sources as a cornerstone of our national development strategy.”
He added that Nigeria is developing infrastructure for the widespread use of Compressed Natural Gas and electric vehicles and harnessing the potential in solid minerals to support the green energy transition.
Tinubu stressed that his country is also implementing climate-smart agricultural practices to enhance food security and lessen its destructive environmental impact. These include the introduction of the National Clean Cooking Policy, which aims to promote clean energy, environmental and health benefits, and socio-economic development in the African region.
He said the government is working with local communities to implement solutions to mitigate the adverse consequences of the country’s environmental challenges, such as deforestation, desertification, coastal erosion, flooding, and pollution.
These challenges, he said, threaten the livelihoods of millions.
He called on partner countries to collaborate in mobilising resources to tackle these challenges and embrace innovation and technology.
“To promote a Green Economy in Africa, we must focus on integrating sustainable practices in all sectors of our economy. These investments are capital intensive and require international support from partner countries, including multinational organisations, development partners and individuals who share our vision of a sustainable, prosperous and equitable future”, he said
According to the president, “Nigeria became the first country in Africa to initiate funding of green projects through Sovereign Green Bond proceeds, the third issuance of which is in progress. We urge investors to partner with us in this regard. Our administration remains committed to providing an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in Nigeria.
“By partnering with global leaders and harnessing the power of technology, we are finding new and innovative ways to address our environmental challenges. We have arable agricultural lands for advanced technological farming, including a bright future for Artificial Intelligence.”
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, while expressing appreciation for President Tinubu’s participation in the forum, reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to strengthening economic ties with Nigeria.
He pledged UAE’s interest in exploring investment opportunities in Nigeria.
Tinubu was accompanied to the forum by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Finance Wale Edun, and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; and H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan accompanied the UAE President.
Other UAE officials at the meeting were: Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Salem Saeed Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Nigeria.