THE Federal Government has reached an agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which will allow Nigerian passport holders to get visas for travel to the Arab nation beginning today, July 15, 2024.
THE Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, revealed this today when briefing State House media 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,” he said.
“This agreement includes updated controls and conditions to facilitate obtaining a UAE visa.
“The resumption of visas will be effective from July 15, 2024.”
The minister noted that Nigerians can learn more about the UAE’s amended visa conditions by visiting the country’s website.
The announcement comes more than two years after the UAE suspended visa issuance to Nigerians following a period of protracted diplomatic row with Africa’s most populous nation.
It also comes almost two months after UAE national carrier Emirates Airlines announced the return of flights to Nigeria.
The airline said in May that daily Lagos-Dubai flights would resume on October 1, 2024.
Recall that Emirates Airlines discontinued its Dubai-Lagos flights in 2022 due to its difficulty to repatriate trapped funds in Nigeria amid political tensions between the two countries.
Nigeria and the UAE have a long history of restricting flights between the two nations due to unresolved disputes with the Bilateral Air Services Agreement.
Visa restrictions were later imposed as diplomatic fireworks continued between Nigeria and the UAE, which is a top destination for Nigerian migrants and tourists.
In September 2023, President Bola Tinubu met with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi to smooth the rough edges of the two countries’ bilateral relations.