UAE lifts visa ban on Nigeria with conditions
The Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have reached an agreement to resume travel for Nigerian passport holders.
This development follows successful talks and extensive negotiations between the two governments.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced the agreement to State House correspondents on Monday after the Federal Executive Council meeting, presided over by President Bola Tinubu.
"I can tell you that the agreement has been reached and, effective from today, Nigerian passport holders intending to travel to the UAE are able to do so," the Minister stated. He added that discussions had been ongoing to address the issue of visas for Nigerian passport holders traveling to the UAE.
The new agreement includes updated controls and conditions to facilitate obtaining a UAE visa. The resumption of visa issuance will be effective from July 15, 2024. This marks the end of a nearly two-year visa ban imposed by the UAE due to various diplomatic disputes.
During this period, Dubai’s Emirates Airline also halted flights to Nigeria, citing the Central Bank of Nigeria's inability to remit an estimated $85 million in revenue to the UAE.
The lifting of the visa ban is expected to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between Nigeria and the UAE, opening up travel and business opportunities for Nigerian citizens.
