The United Arab Emirates has ended its 21-month visa ban on Nigerian nationals. Nigeria's Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, announced on Monday that the ban, which had been in place since October 2022, was lifted following “mutually beneficial negotiations” between the two governments. New “updated controls and conditions” have been established for Nigerian visitors.
Prospective Nigerian travelers will now need to provide identification documents and travel history to generate a verification number for their visa applications. Exceptions will be made for applicants aged 13 and younger.
The UAE initially imposed the ban due to concerns over improper conduct and attempts to bypass visa regulations. The situation worsened when Nigeria reduced Emirates Airlines' flights to the country from 21 times a week to just once, in response to the UAE's refusal to grant Nigerian airline Air Peace permission to operate three weekly flights to Dubai.
Emirates suspended its flights to Nigeria in late 2022, citing difficulties in repatriating earnings. However, following the inauguration of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in May 2023, efforts were made to resolve the issue, including meetings with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The lifting of the ban comes ahead of Emirates resuming its daily flights between Lagos and Dubai in October. Adnan Kazim, Emirates' Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, noted in May that the Lagos-Dubai route has been popular with Nigerian customers. The resumption will also include over 300 tonnes of weekly cargo capacity in the aircraft's lower deck.
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