Lagos, Nigeria – In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, the Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that Nigerian passport holders can now obtain visas to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) starting July 15, 2024. This announcement comes ahead of the highly anticipated resumption of Emirates Airlines’ Lagos-Dubai flights scheduled for October 1, 2024.
The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this development during a briefing with State House correspondents following the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. “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.
He further explained that the agreement includes updated controls and conditions to facilitate obtaining a UAE visa. Details of these updated conditions are available on the UAE’s official website.
This historic agreement marks the end of a more than two-year-long suspension of visa issuance to Nigerians, which was part of a broader diplomatic row between the two nations. The diplomatic tensions also led to the suspension of Emirates Airlines’ flights between Dubai and Lagos in 2022, largely due to issues surrounding the repatriation of trapped funds in Nigeria.
Emirates Airlines has since announced that its daily flights between Lagos and Dubai will resume on October 1, 2024, providing a major boost to both business and tourism sectors.
The diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the UAE have seen various restrictions over the years, including limitations on flights and visa issuance. These issues primarily stemmed from unresolved matters related to the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between the two countries.
The recent agreement follows high-level diplomatic engagements, including a crucial meeting in September 2023 between Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. This meeting was pivotal in resolving the longstanding diplomatic impasse and fostering a renewed partnership.
With this new travel deal, both nations are set to benefit from enhanced bilateral relations, facilitating smoother travel and stronger economic ties. Nigerians eager to visit the UAE can now look forward to a seamless visa process and the resumption of direct flights to one of the world’s most popular travel destinations.
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Resources
https://www.channelstv.com/2024/07/15/breaking-nigerians-can-now-obtain-uae-visas-minister/
