The Federal Government of Nigeria has signed agreement with the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for the resumption of visa issuance to travellers with Nigerian passports wishing to travel to the Middle Eastern country beginning today, July 15, 2024.
Mohammed Idris, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday, after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
The agreement comes more than two years after the UAE suspended visa issuance to Nigerians, sequel to protracted diplomatic row with Africa’s most populous country.
UAE national carrier Emirates Airlines, in May, announced the resumption of flights to Nigeria. Specifically, the airline said that its daily Lagos- Dubai flights would resume from October 1, 2024.
In 2022, Emirates Airlines, had suspended its Dubai-Lagos flights, following its inability to repatriate trapped funds in Nigeria, resulting in the diplomatic fireworks between the two countries.
Last year, precisely in September 2023, President Bola Tinubu met with his UAE counterpart, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi, to resolve the diplomatic issues between the two countries.
Announcing the development, Idris said: “You are aware that Nigeria has been discussing with the United Arab Emirates on the issue of visas for Nigerian passport holders going to the United Arab Emirates.
“Today, an agreement has been reached on that, and effective from today 15th July, Nigerian passport holders are able to obtain visa to go to the United Arab Emirates.
“Details of that will be provided to you latter today when we put out a statement.
“But 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.”