The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lifted its visa ban on Nigerians, allowing them to once again obtain visas to visit the country.
This announcement was made by the minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who stated that the visa ban is lifted effective from July 15, 2024.
He disclosed this to State House correspondents on Monday after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.
Idris said that an agreement has been reached between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) regarding travel restrictions, thereby allowing Nigerian passport holders intending to travel to the UAE to do so.
Recall that on December 13, 2021, the UAE issued a travel restriction on passengers from Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, citing a surge in COVID-19 cases among travellers from these two African nations.
This travel ban may have been linked to a diplomatic dispute between Nigeria and the UAE regarding Air Peace’s flight frequency to the UAE.
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 airline 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.
However, President Bola Tinubu had intervened in August 2023 to resolve the dispute over visa issuance and the face-off with Emirates Airlines
This development is expected to ease travel between Nigeria and the UAE, which is considered an important partner for Nigeria, with many Nigerians having significant investments in the country.