The Federal Government has announced an agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to allow Nigerian passport holders to obtain visas starting today, July 15, 2024.
This development was disclosed by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, during a briefing with State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
Idris explained, “Following successful talks and extensive, mutually beneficial negotiations between the Governments of the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria, an agreement was reached to resume travel to the UAE for Nigerian passport holders. This agreement includes updated controls and conditions to facilitate obtaining a UAE visa.”
Nigerians interested in the new visa conditions can visit the UAE government’s website for detailed information.
This announcement comes over two years after the UAE suspended visa issuance to Nigerians amid a prolonged diplomatic row. It also follows Emirates Airlines’ recent confirmation that its daily Lagos-Dubai flights will resume from October 1, 2024, after being suspended in 2022 due to difficulties repatriating funds from Nigeria.
The flight suspension was part of broader issues related to the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) and ongoing diplomatic tensions. In September 2023, President Bola Tinubu met with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi to resolve these issues and improve bilateral relations.