Nigerian Government affirms citizens can obtain UAE visas now

*Mohammed Idris, Minister for Information and National Orientation, confirms the Nigerian Government and Government of the United Arab Emirates have agreed on resumption of travel to the UAE for Nigerian passport holders, effective from Monday, July 15, 2024

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Sequel to the recent successful discussions and extensive negotiations, the Federal Government discloses the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has agreed to allow Nigerian passport holders to obtain visas for travel to that Arabian country effective from Monday, July 15, 2024.

ConsumerConnect reports Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Honourable Minister for Information and National Orientation, said this Monday, while briefing the State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, FCT.

The Minister said: “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.

“This agreement includes updated controls and conditions to facilitate obtaining a UAE visa.

“The resumption of visas will be effective from July 15, 2024.”

He also assured Nigerian consumers wishing to learn more about the updated visa conditions from the UAE could visit the Arabian country’s Web site for more details.

It is recalled the latest announcement came on over two years after the UAE suspended visa issuance to Nigerians, following a protracted diplomatic row with the West African country.

The UAE national carrier, Emirates Airlines, few months ago had also announced the resumption of flights to Nigeria.

The airline said in May that its daily Lagos-Dubai flights would resume from October 1, 2024.

Emirates Airlines suspended its Dubai-Lagos flights in 2022 over its inability to repatriate trapped funds in Nigeria in the heat of the diplomatic fireworks between the two countries.

Nigeria and the UAE have a long history of restriction of flights between both countries based on certain unresolved issues surrounding the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).

Visa restrictions later surfaced as diplomatic fireworks continued between Nigeria and the UAE, which is a top destination for Nigerian migrants and tourists.

It is also noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, September 2023, met with UAE President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi, to smoothen the rough edges in the diplomatic relations between the two countries.