The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially lifted its visa ban on travelers from Nigeria, marking a significant development in diplomatic relations between the two nations. This decision follows a meeting between Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.
Presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale made the announcement in a statement released on Monday, confirming the positive outcome of the diplomatic discussions.
As part of this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines will promptly resume their flight schedules to and from Nigeria, ending the flight suspension that had been in place. Importantly, there will be no immediate financial obligations imposed on the Nigerian government for the resumption of flight operations between the two countries.
The visa ban on Nigerian travelers had been imposed by the UAE in October 2022, shortly after Emirates Airlines suspended its flights to Nigeria. The decision was reportedly made in response to Nigeria’s challenges in repatriating a substantial amount of funds that were held in the UAE.
Earlier this year, former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari had appealed to his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayad Al Nahyan, urging the removal of the visa ban on Nigerians. However, at that time, the UAE had not acted on this appeal.
