The United Arab Emirates has entered the list of the world’s top ten merchandise exporters for the first time, ranking ninth globally according to the World Trade Organisation. This is a major economic milestone for the UAE and a clear signal that the country’s trade diversification strategy is delivering measurable results.
At the same time, the UAE’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA, programme continues to expand rapidly. In the first quarter of 2026, the UAE signed new agreements with the Philippines, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gabon. These agreements extend the UAE’s preferential trade network across Southeast Asia, West Africa and Central Africa.
For founders, trading companies, holding structures and free zone entities, these developments are not just economic headlines. They directly affect the cost of doing business, the viability of specific trade routes and the strategic case for structuring international operations through the UAE.
UAE Trade Performance in 2025 and 2026
The UAE’s trade performance in 2025 and early 2026 shows how far the country has moved beyond a hydrocarbon-led export model. The UAE’s total foreign trade reached AED 6 trillion in 2025, representing a 15% increase compared to 2024.
Trade in services exceeded AED 1.14 trillion for the first time in the country’s history. Non-oil merchandise trade rose 27% to AED 3.8 trillion. Industrial exports also grew strongly, increasing 25% in 2025 to reach a record USD 71 billion.
The UAE banking sector continued to support this growth. Banking sector assets exceeded AED 5.472 trillion as of February 2026, while credit grew 1.2% to AED 2.63 trillion. Together, these figures describe an economy that has achieved genuine trade diversification and is no longer dependent on hydrocarbons as the primary export driver.
The UAE’s In-Country Value programme also supports this wider industrial and trade strategy. The programme targets the redirection of half of all government spending on procurement and tender contracts to the national economy by 2031. The National Industrial Resilience Fund, a separate AED 1 billion initiative, supports this goal by funding the localisation of vital industries and strengthening domestic supply chains.
What CEPAs Are and Why They Matter for UAE Companies
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements are bilateral free trade frameworks that go significantly further than conventional trade agreements. While standard trade agreements often focus on reducing tariffs for selected goods categories, CEPAs usually cover a much wider range of areas.
These include merchandise trade, services, investment, intellectual property, e-commerce and government procurement. In some cases, CEPAs eliminate tariffs across thousands of product lines, making cross-border trade more cost-effective and predictable.
The UAE formally launched its CEPA programme in 2021 with a target of reaching AED 4 trillion in non-oil trade by 2031. The UAE has already concluded CEPAs with India, Indonesia, Turkey, Israel, Cambodia, Georgia, Costa Rica and other countries.
The Q1 2026 additions with the Philippines, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gabon extend the network further into emerging market corridors. These regions are seeing some of the highest trade growth globally, which makes them especially relevant for UAE-based trading, logistics, manufacturing and investment structures.
Q1 2026 CEPA Additions: Country-by-Country Analysis
Philippines CEPA: Access to a Major Southeast Asian Market
The UAE-Philippines CEPA opens a stronger trade and investment corridor with a market of 115 million people. The Philippines is one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia and already has a deep relationship with the UAE.
The Philippines is a significant source of skilled labour for the UAE and is also a growing destination for UAE investment in infrastructure and real estate. The CEPA creates preferential frameworks for goods, services and investment flows in both directions.
It also strengthens an existing bilateral relationship that includes hundreds of thousands of Filipino workers in the UAE. For UAE-based companies, this agreement supports trade access, services expansion and long-term investment planning in Southeast Asia.
Nigeria CEPA: A Strategic Gateway to West Africa
Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy by GDP and its most populous country. The UAE’s CEPA with Nigeria represents a strategic gateway to the West African economic bloc and forms part of the UAE’s broader Africa strategy.
For UAE-based trading companies, Nigeria offers both a large consumer market and a regional hub with access to the broader ECOWAS free trade area. This is particularly relevant for companies involved in commodities, FMCG, manufactured goods and distribution-led business models.
The agreement strengthens the case for using the UAE as a structuring and logistics base for companies looking to serve West African markets more efficiently.
Democratic Republic of the Congo CEPA: Critical Minerals and Future Supply Chains
The Democratic Republic of the Congo holds some of the world’s largest reserves of critical minerals, including cobalt, coltan and lithium. These materials are central to the global transition to electric vehicles, battery storage and renewable energy infrastructure.
A CEPA with the DRC positions the UAE as a preferred partner for critical mineral supply chains at a time when global demand for these materials is accelerating. This has direct relevance for UAE companies involved in commodities, mining services, logistics, industrial processing, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing.
The agreement also strengthens the UAE’s role as a trade and investment hub for resource-backed African economies.
Gabon CEPA: Supporting African Commodity Flows
Gabon is a resource-rich Central African country with established oil production and significant forestry and mining sectors. The UAE’s CEPA with Gabon supports the country’s positioning as a hub for African commodity flows.
It also complements the UAE’s existing relationships across Francophone Africa. For UAE-based companies involved in commodities, logistics, energy, forestry-linked products or regional investment structures, Gabon adds another important corridor to the UAE’s growing Africa trade network.
What CEPA Expansion Means for UAE-Based Business Structures
The UAE’s expanding CEPA network has practical implications for multiple types of business structures. These include general trading companies, holding companies, free zone entities, manufacturers, logistics firms and supply chain operators.
General Trading Companies
For companies holding general trading licences in UAE free zones, the CEPA expansion is directly valuable. Preferential tariff access to CEPA markets can reduce the landed cost of goods traded through UAE entities.
This improves margin structures and strengthens the competitive positioning of UAE-based intermediaries compared to companies operating from other hubs.
Companies trading between CEPA markets may also benefit from more efficient structuring. For example, a business routing Indian manufactured goods into the Nigerian market through a UAE holding or trading structure can now assess its model under a layered framework of preferential trade access.
This does not mean every trade route will automatically qualify for CEPA benefits. Rules of Origin and product-specific conditions still need to be reviewed carefully. However, the commercial opportunity is increasingly clear for trading companies that use the UAE as a regional or global hub.
Holding Companies and Investment Vehicles
UAE holding companies benefit from the CEPA network in two important ways. First, investment flows between the UAE and CEPA partner countries are subject to enhanced investor protections and, in many cases, preferential investment terms.
Second, for holding companies managing assets across multiple jurisdictions, the UAE’s expanding CEPA network increases the practical utility of the UAE as a hub. It reduces friction in fund flows, asset management and cross-border commercial activity.
This is especially relevant for founders, family offices, private investors and multinational groups using the UAE as a base for regional expansion.
Free Zone Entities and Manufacturing Companies
For UAE free zone companies involved in manufacturing or value-added processing, the CEPA network creates export opportunities under reduced or zero-tariff conditions to a growing list of markets.
This is particularly important for companies in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, advanced technology and industrial components. Businesses that can demonstrate sufficient UAE-based value addition may be better positioned to benefit from preferential CEPA access.
The National Industrial Resilience Fund also provides potential funding support for free zone manufacturers operating in priority sectors. Companies in relevant industries should assess their eligibility for both CEPA market access and national fund support.
Logistics and Supply Chain Companies
Dubai’s position as a global logistics hub is strengthened by every CEPA that reduces trade friction between the UAE and a new market. Jebel Ali Port, one of the world’s busiest ports, remains central to this advantage.
For logistics companies operating in or through the UAE, the Q1 2026 CEPA additions open new routing opportunities. They also strengthen the commercial case for UAE-based warehousing, fulfilment, consolidation and re-export operations.
As the UAE’s CEPA network expands across Asia and Africa, logistics companies can build stronger service offerings around preferential trade corridors and more efficient customs planning.
The In-Country Value Programme and Its Domestic Impact
While the CEPA programme focuses on outbound trade and investment, the In-Country Value programme focuses on the UAE’s domestic supply chain. The ICV programme requires that half of government procurement and tender spending is directed to the national economy by 2031.
For companies seeking government contracts in the UAE, ICV certification has become an operational necessity. It is no longer just a compliance consideration. It can influence tender competitiveness, procurement access and long-term positioning with government-linked entities.
IncHub advises clients on ICV certification as part of broader corporate structuring. For mainland companies with UAE national partners or significant UAE-based operations, ICV positioning can be a meaningful competitive differentiator in government procurement contexts.
Structuring for CEPA Advantage: Key Considerations
UAE companies should not assume that CEPA benefits apply automatically to every transaction. To benefit from CEPA tariff preferences, goods typically need to meet Rules of Origin requirements.
Rules of Origin generally mean that goods must be substantially produced or sufficiently processed in the UAE or in the relevant partner country. For trading companies that re-export goods sourced from third countries, these criteria must be assessed carefully before relying on CEPA tariff advantages.
Free zone entities should also note that CEPA benefits may apply differently depending on the destination and purpose of the goods. Goods destined for export may access full CEPA benefits where conditions are met. Goods intended for consumption in the UAE mainland market may still be subject to standard import procedures.
Because of this, structuring advice from qualified advisors is essential before building a business model that depends significantly on CEPA tariff advantages. Companies should assess product classification, origin criteria, documentation requirements, free zone treatment and customs processes before committing to a trade structure.
FAQ: UAE Trade, CEPAs and Business Structuring
No, UAE free zone companies do not automatically benefit from CEPA tariff preferences. CEPA benefits usually require goods to meet Rules of Origin criteria specific to each agreement.
Free zone companies that manufacture, process or add value in the UAE will generally qualify more readily than companies that purely re-export goods. Legal and trade advisory support is recommended for any business model built significantly on CEPA access.
JAFZA and DMCC are typically the strongest choices for high-volume trading businesses that want to leverage CEPA networks. Their advantage comes from proximity to Jebel Ali Port and their established ecosystems for international trade. FZA and RAKEZ may offer more cost-effective options for smaller trading operations. The right choice depends on trade corridors, product categories, warehousing needs, visa requirements, banking requirements and long-term expansion plans. IncHub can provide a tailored free zone recommendation based on your specific trade corridors and product categories.
IncHub advises on entity structures designed to maximise CEPA benefits. This includes free zone versus mainland analysis, Rules of Origin assessment, multi-entity holding structures and ICV certification support. IncHub also helps businesses assess whether their proposed UAE structure is commercially suitable for target markets, product flows and cross-border investment objectives. Contact IncHub at inchub.ae for a CEPA structuring consultation
Conclusion: Why the UAE’s Export Ranking and CEPA Network Matter
The UAE’s entry into the world’s top ten merchandise exporters is more than a trade ranking. It confirms the country’s position as a serious global trade, logistics and investment hub.
The continued expansion of the CEPA network adds practical value for UAE-based companies. It can reduce trade friction, improve market access, support investment flows and make UAE-based structures more commercially attractive for businesses operating across Asia, Africa and other emerging markets.
For founders, SMEs, trading companies, manufacturers, holding companies and investors, the key opportunity is not simply knowing that the UAE has signed more CEPAs. The real opportunity is understanding how to structure operations so that CEPA benefits, ICV positioning, free zone advantages and UAE trade infrastructure work together.
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