By Akinsuroju Abiodun Olubunmi
UAE contradicts Nigerian Government: No immediate lift of visa ban for travellers Dubai, UAE Recent statements from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have contradicted earlier claims by the Nigerian government regarding the lifting of a year-long visa ban on Nigerian travellers.
An anonymous official from the UAE clarified, “There are no changes on the Nigeria/UAE travel status so far.” The official requested anonymity due to a lack of authorization to speak to the media.
Last October, the UAE announced that it would no longer issue visas to citizens from Nigeria and 19 other African nations without providing further details. The sudden halt in issuing 30-day tourist visas to Nigerian nationals led to a standstill in flights between the two countries, with Dubai’s Emirates airline citing withheld revenues of $85 million in Nigeria as a reason for suspending operations.
Earlier this week, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu met with UAE leader Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, where an official statement indicated that they had “finalised a historic agreement.” The Nigerian government asserted that this agreement would result in the lifting of the visa ban and the immediate resumption of flights between both nations, including those operated by Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines.
However, a subsequent statement from the UAE government made no mention of lifting the visa ban or resuming flights. Instead, it referred to discussions about further bilateral collaboration and reinforcing ties.
In response, Nigeria’s presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, suggested that officials from both countries needed more time to finalise the agreement’s details, leading to contradictory reports.
The potential lifting of the visa ban had initially been met with excitement by Nigerians, as Dubai is a favoured destination for tourists and a significant hub for real estate investments. Before the pandemic, Nigerians were among Dubai’s largest foreign real estate investors, with investments valued at nearly $2 billion, according to reports citing the Dubai Land Department.
Emirates Airlines had previously operated multiple daily flights between Lagos, Nigeria, and Dubai, along with daily flights from the capital, Abuja, to Dubai.
The situation remains uncertain as both governments work to clarify the status of the visa ban and the resumption of flights, leaving many Nigerian travellers and investors eagerly awaiting further developments.