The Federal Government of Nigeria has successfully negotiated an agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), allowing Nigerian passport holders to obtain visas for travel to the UAE.
This development was announced by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, during a briefing with State House correspondents following the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday.
“Following successful talks and extensive, mutually beneficial negotiations between the Government of the United Arab Emirates and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, an agreement was reached allowing for the resumption of travel to the UAE for Nigerian passport holders,” Idris stated.
“This agreement includes updated controls and conditions to facilitate obtaining a UAE visa. The resumption of visas will be effective from July 15, 2024.”
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Minister Idris also encouraged Nigerians to visit the UAE’s official website to learn more about the updated visa conditions. This significant announcement comes after more than two years since the UAE suspended visa issuance to Nigerians, which followed a prolonged diplomatic row with Africa’s most populous nation.
The visa ban lift is part of broader efforts to restore and improve bilateral relations between Nigeria and the UAE. In May 2024, Emirates Airlines announced the resumption of its daily Lagos-Dubai flights starting from October 1, 2024.
This decision came after the airline had suspended its Dubai-Lagos flights in 2022 due to difficulties in repatriating trapped funds in Nigeria amidst the diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
The strained relationship between Nigeria and the UAE has been marked by restrictions on flights and visa issuance, rooted in unresolved issues surrounding the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).
These tensions led to diplomatic standoffs, impacting travel and migration for Nigerians, who consider the UAE a major destination for both migration and tourism.
In September 2023, a significant step toward mending the strained relations was taken when President Bola Tinubu met with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. Their discussions aimed at resolving the diplomatic issues and fostering a more harmonious relationship between the two nations.
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The agreement to lift the visa ban is seen as a major diplomatic breakthrough, promising to reinvigorate the longstanding economic and cultural ties between Nigeria and the UAE. It is expected to enhance travel opportunities, boost tourism, and strengthen the overall relationship between the two countries.
With the resumption of visa issuance, Nigerians can once again look forward to traveling to the UAE for business, tourism, and other purposes, heralding a new chapter in the bilateral relations between the two nations.