UAU lifts visa ban on Nigerians

On Monday, the United Arab Emirates ended its lengthy prohibition on granting Nigerians visas.

As a result, Etihad and Emirates Airlines will start flying again in Nigeria right away.

President Bola Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reached a historic deal on Monday in Abu Dhabi, which led to the immediate lifting of the visa requirement for visitors from Nigeria.

“Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay,” the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed in a statement he signed Monday.

"President Tinubu secures landmark agreement with United Arab Emirates across sectors; visa ban on Nigerian travelers is immediately lifted," reads the announcement.

The resolution was adopted on Monday after discussions between the Presidents of Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Bola Tinubu.

The President previously stated his willingness to personally step in to terminate the nearly one-year prohibition, and this announcement comes almost three weeks later.

“We are a family with the UAE; we only live in separate rooms but in the same house. We should look at the issues as a family problem and resolve it amicably. As you know, in every family, there are peculiarities.

“You can have an erring son or daughter, but we must work together. We need to agree on core aviation and immigration issues,” Tinubu told the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, at the State House on August 24, 2023.

It was the first time Tinubu addressed the impasse that resulted in the UAE's national airline, Emirates, suspending service to Nigeria.

The UAE barred citizens from about 20 African nations from entering its borders as of October 2022.

It was the first time Tinubu addressed the impasse that resulted in the UAE's national airline, Emirates, suspending service to Nigeria.

The UAE barred citizens from about 20 African nations from entering its borders as of October 2022.

“This is to inform you that we will not be posting 30 days visa applications for these nationalities effective today, October 18, 2022,” the notice partly read.

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