On Tuesday, the Presidency announced that Nigerian cabinet officials and their counterparts from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are in the final stages of negotiations to lift the visa ban imposed on Nigerian travelers. President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, shared this development with State House Correspondents.
This positive development follows a meeting between President Tinubu and UAE’s President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi on Monday. As a result of their discussions, the immediate lifting of the visa ban was agreed upon, allowing both Etihad and Emirates Airlines to promptly resume their flight schedules to and from Nigeria.
In a statement issued by Ngelale, it was emphasized that the finer details and cross-sectoral agreements between the two nations will be worked out by cabinet officials from both sides, signaling a collaborative effort towards a successful resolution.
The visa ban, initially imposed in October 2022, affected nationals from approximately 20 African countries, including Nigeria.
During this period, all visa applications from these nations were halted, except for those holding diplomatic passports.
The ban had led to diplomatic tensions between the UAE and Nigeria, with disputes regarding flight allocations and travel restrictions.
In February 2023, former President Muhammadu Buhari made an appeal to President Al Nahyan to lift the visa ban, but it was initially rejected by UAE authorities.
President Tinubu expressed his appreciation for President Al Nahyan’s steadfast friendship and their joint efforts to fully normalize and enhance relations between these two important nations to an excellent standard.
