President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has hailed the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria’s BUA Group and the UAE-based AD Ports Group and MAIR Group, describing it as a major industrial and trade breakthrough.
The agreement, signed in Abu Dhabi, is seen as a key outcome of renewed diplomatic and economic engagement between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates under the Tinubu administration.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said the MoU represents a tangible dividend of strengthened bilateral ties following recent state visits and high-level engagements with UAE leaders focused on trade, investment, infrastructure and food security.
The partnership framework explores collaboration in sugar refining, agro-industrial development and integrated global logistics solutions. Under the arrangement, sugar refining and advanced logistics infrastructure are to be developed in the UAE, a move expected to boost value addition, reinforce supply chain resilience and deepen structured trade flows between West Africa and the Gulf region.
President Tinubu noted that the agreement underscores growing international confidence in Nigeria’s reform agenda and reinforces the country’s commitment to export-led industrialisation.
“Strategic diplomacy must translate into measurable economic gains,” the President said. “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.”
He further observed that BUA Group’s established industrial base in Nigeria — including its integrated food processing operations and significant investments in port infrastructure upgrades — provides a strong platform for expanded international trade integration.
The President also commended the Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, for sustained investments across critical sectors of the Nigerian economy and for projecting Nigerian enterprise onto the global stage.
Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to deepening bilateral economic partnerships that attract investment, expand exports, strengthen domestic enterprises and deliver sustainable economic growth.
