In a significant validation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s foreign policy and economic reforms, a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Abu Dhabi on Monday between Nigeria’s BUA Group and two of the United Arab Emirates’ leading commercial entities, AD Ports Group and MAIR Group.
President Tinubu has hailed the agreement as a tangible outcome of his administration’s intensified diplomatic engagement with the UAE, marking a major breakthrough in industrial and trade relations between the two nations.
The President stated that the partnership is a direct “dividend” of the strengthened bilateral ties following his recent state visits and high-level discussions with UAE leadership. Those talks had prioritized concrete cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure development, and food security.
The newly signed MoU outlines a broad framework for collaboration, focusing on sugar refining, agro-industrial development, and integrated global logistics solutions. Key components of the initiative, including advanced sugar refining facilities and logistics infrastructure, are slated for development within the UAE.
The project is expected to significantly enhance value addition for Nigerian exports, build greater resilience in supply chains, and deepen structured trade flows between West Africa and the Gulf region.
In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu noted that the deal reflects growing international confidence in Nigeria’s reform agenda. He emphasized that the agreement reinforces the country’s commitment to export-led industrialisation and demonstrates the maturity of Nigerian enterprises on the global stage.
“Strategic diplomacy must translate into measurable economic gains,” President Tinubu was quoted as saying. “This partnership reflects the renewed momentum in Nigeria–UAE relations and our determination to position Nigeria as a competitive industrial and trading nation, while empowering Nigerian businesses to operate confidently on the global stage.”
The President also highlighted that BUA Group’s established industrial base in Nigeria—which includes integrated food processing operations and substantial investments in port infrastructure upgrades—provides a strong foundation for this expanded international trade integration.
He extended special commendation to the Chairman of BUA Group, Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, for his unwavering commitment to the Nigerian economy.
“I must also commend the Chairman of BUA Group, Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, who continues to believe and invest in various sectors of the Nigerian economy, and has shown the world that Nigerian companies are capable of playing on the global stage,” the President added.
President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to deepening bilateral economic partnerships that attract foreign investment, expand Nigerian exports, strengthen local enterprise, and deliver sustainable prosperity for the country.
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