President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday welcomed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Shakhboot Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, to the State House in Abuja, as Nigeria continues to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties with the Gulf nation.
The meeting, held behind closed doors, comes amid ongoing efforts by the Tinubu administration to deepen cooperation with the UAE in key areas such as trade, investment and security.
Although details of the discussions were not made public, the visit was confirmed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a post shared on his X account.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu received His Highness Sheikh Shakhboot Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), at the State House on Tuesday,” Onanuga wrote.
Photographs released after the meeting showed President Tinubu warmly receiving the UAE official before both leaders proceeded to a private meeting.
Sheikh Shakhboot Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan has served as the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs since February 2021. Before then, he was the country’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia between 2017 and 2021 and also served as Chairman of the UAE Equestrian Federation.
Tuesday’s visit comes just months after President Tinubu visited Abu Dhabi for the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, where he was received by Sheikh Shakhboot at the Zayed International Airport.
The latest engagement highlights the growing diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates, with both countries seeking stronger partnerships in economic development and regional cooperation.
