First Abu Dhabi Bank to Open in Lagos as Nigeria-UAE Relations Deepen, Says Minister

Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting

ABUJA — Nigeria’s bilateral relations with the United Arab Emirates are set for a significant boost, with the First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) preparing to open its doors in Lagos, the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria has announced.

Ambassador Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi made the disclosure during a visit to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in Abuja.

He also confirmed that Etihad Airlines, the UAE’s leading carrier, will commence operations in Abuja later this year.

The Ambassador praised the strength of the relationship between the two nations, noting that non-oil trade between them grew from $4.3 billion in 2024 to $5 billion in 2025.

He projected that the figure could reach approximately $8 billion by 2027.

“Non-oil trade between us has seen remarkable growth,” Ambassador Al-Shamsi said. “We are confident that this trajectory will continue as we deepen our economic partnerships.”

He further disclosed that visa restrictions had been eased for Nigerian travellers, explaining that there were no longer visa rejections for Nigerian nationals travelling to the UAE.

According to him, no fewer than 15,000 Nigerians visited the UAE in the last year alone.

“The visa issue has been significantly addressed,” the envoy stated. “Fifteen thousand Nigerians have travelled to the UAE in the past year, and there are no longer visa rejections for Nigerian nationals.”

Ambassador Al-Shamsi also reaffirmed his country’s solidarity with Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, revealing that the UAE had issued at least eight statements condemning terrorist attacks in Nigeria.

“We stand firmly with Nigeria in its fight against terror,” he said. “We have issued no fewer than eight statements to date condemning terrorist attacks in your country.”

The meeting also provided an opportunity for Ambassador Al-Shamsi to present a letter of congratulations from the UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s appointment as Nigeria’s Foreign Minister.

Responding, Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria remains firmly committed to creating an enabling environment for Foreign Direct Investment, including from UAE-based sovereign wealth funds and private sector entities.

The Minister expressed her gratitude that through sustained dialogue and engagement, visa issues had been significantly resolved.

“I am happy to say that a lot of the issues raised when I was Minister of State for Foreign Affairs have been resolved in less than a year, especially regarding visas,” she said.

She also highlighted the impressive growth in non-oil trade volumes.

“In addition, you have been able to move the non-oil trade volume between both countries from $4.3 billion in 2024 to over $5 billion in 2025,” she noted. “This shows your commitment and unrelenting effort in deepening our bilateral relations.”

Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu revealed that the UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister was the first to place a congratulatory call following her elevation by President Bola Tinubu to the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“I am so pleased to have received the call from His Highness, the Deputy Prime Minister, and his prayers and encouragement to me,” she said. “It was actually the first of such calls. He even extended an invitation for me to visit the UAE. This profound gesture is most sincerely appreciated.”

She reiterated Nigeria’s dedication to mutual diplomatic ties with the UAE, adding that both countries are working towards the implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which they had previously signed.

“That agreement will transform economic ties between our two nations and deliver tangible benefits for Nigerian businesses, professionals and workers,” the Minister said.

“I am restating the commitment of Nigeria to mutual diplomatic ties with the UAE,” she concluded. “We remain committed to working together to continue moving our bilateral relations from strength to strength.”

Nigeria and the UAE have maintained warm, cordial and mutually beneficial diplomatic ties since 1971. Economic relations between the two countries have remained robust and dynamic, particularly in non-oil trade, driven by strong trade flows, investment partnerships and people-to-people exchanges.

Stonix News understands that the opening of First Abu Dhabi Bank in Lagos and the commencement of Etihad Airlines’ Abuja operations are expected to further bolster these ties in the coming months.