UAE lifts visa ban on Nigerians

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lifted its visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers after nearly one year.

The decision was taken after President Bola Tinubu met with Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE leader in Abu Dhabi, Mr Tinubu’s office said on Monday.

The middle east country imposed a visa ban on Nigerians in October 2022 after a diplomatic row.

In 2021, the UAE and Nigeria engaged in a diplomatic row over flight allocations and travel bans. In December of that year, the UAE banned airlines from flying Nigerian passengers into the country, citing the surge in COVID-19 cases.

However, the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) had previously approved a slot of three weekly flights from Nigeria to Sharjah Airport for Air Peace.

In retaliation, the Nigerian government reduced Emirates’ flight slots from 21 to one, which led the Dubai-based airline to suspend all flights to Nigeria.

Lifting the ban

Presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale said in a statement that the visa ban was lifted on Monday.

He said following the agreement, Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay.

“As negotiated between the two Heads of State, this immediate restoration of flight activity, through these two airlines and between the two countries, does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government,” he said.

He said the agreement also involves “several billions of U.S. dollars’ worth of new investments into the Nigerian economy across multiple sectors, including defense, agriculture and others, by the investment arms of the Government of the United Arab Emirates.”