Nigeria’s BUA Group has entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with AD Ports Group and MAIR Group to develop an integrated food and logistics corridor linking West Africa to the Gulf, with a focus on sugar refining and agro-industrial expansion.
The agreement, announced on Tuesday, will explore collaboration in sugar refining, agro-industrial development, and integrated global logistics solutions, with a focus on building a structured and efficient food corridor between West Africa and Abu Dhabi.
Under the proposed partnership, the parties aim to develop a world-class industrial platform that enhances regional food security, supports economic diversification, and reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for trade and manufacturing.
The initiative will leverage BUA Group’s large-scale industrial capacity, the infrastructure of Khalifa Port, and AD Ports Group’s maritime and logistics expertise.
The collaboration aligns with the UAE’s Food Security Strategy 2051, which seeks to position the country as a global leader in sustainable food production and resilient supply chains.
It also complements Nigeria’s agricultural transformation drive, which prioritises increased domestic production, value addition, improved post-harvest systems, and expanded export access to markets across the Middle East and Asia.
Through structured aggregation, processing, storage, and maritime export channels, the partners intend to reduce supply chain inefficiencies, strengthen traceability and quality standards, and establish a predictable trade route connecting producers in West Africa to Gulf markets.
BUA Group, one of Africa’s most diversified conglomerates with significant investments in sugar refining, flour milling, cement manufacturing, food production, and infrastructure, will anchor the industrial component of the initiative.
MAIR Group is expected to provide strategic support in developing integrated agro-industrial and logistics solutions to ensure seamless production, storage, and distribution.
Founder and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, described the MoU as a milestone in the company’s international expansion strategy, noting that the collaboration reflects a long-term vision of building globally competitive industrial platforms.
He stated that the partnership goes beyond a commercial arrangement, characterising it as a strategic food corridor anchored on shared economic ambition, resilient infrastructure, and disciplined execution, designed to reinforce long-term food security objectives for both nations.
A representative of MAIR Group said the agreement underscores its commitment to advancing strategic industries in Abu Dhabi and strengthening the emirate’s position as a global hub for trade, food security, and industrial excellence.
Similarly, a spokesperson for AD Ports Group highlighted the catalytic role of Khalifa Port in attracting high-impact industrial investments, adding that the initiative will enhance regional food security, strengthen global trade connectivity, and support Abu Dhabi’s economic diversification agenda.
The MoU signals a deepening of economic ties between Nigeria and the UAE, with the proposed collaboration poised to create a resilient and integrated food and logistics ecosystem serving regional and global markets.
