The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lifted its visa ban on Nigerians after a two-year period, following successful negotiations between the UAE and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced this development on Monday during a press briefing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Nigerians can now apply for UAE visas once again, marking the end of the two-year travel restriction.
“You are aware that Nigeria has been discussing with the United Arab Emirates on the issue of Visa for Nigerian passport holders going to the United Arab Emirates.
“Today, an agreement has been reached on that, and effective from today 15th July, Nigerian passport holders are able to obtain visas to go to the United Arab Emirates.
“Details of that will be provided to you latter today when we put out a statement. But I can tell you that the agreement has been reached and effective from today, Nigerian passport holders intending to travel to the UAE are able to do so.”
Nigeria and the UAE have been locked in a diplomatic row for some time now.
In August of 2022, Emirates Airline announced the suspension of its flight operations to Nigeria, citing the inability to repatriate its earnings in foreign exchange, amounting to $85 million.
Nigeria’s case was further exacerbated with ensuing diplomatic dispute between Nigeria and the UAE regarding the Air Peace’s flight frequency to the UAE and funds owed UAE’s Emirates Airlines trapped in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the time.
Air Peace had requested three weekly flights to Sharjah Airport, but the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) granted only one.
The GCAA stated that Air Peace could not expect to retain its flight frequency after withdrawing from Sharjah Airport, a claim the Nigerian Airlines denied.
In response, the Nigerian federal government reduced Emirates’ flight slots from 21 to one, prompting the Dubai-based airline to suspend all flights to Nigeria.
In October of 2022, UAE immigration authorities announced a ban on visa applications from Nigerians.
The UAE government said the suspension would subsist pending the resolution of issues between it and the Nigerian government.
“Kindly advise your clients to resubmit applications when the issue is resolved between both governments”, the notice had read.
The UAE had also stopped issuing tourist visas to persons under the age of 40, a policy that affected Nigerians as well.
