Nigeria and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have come to an agreement to resume travel between the two countries, announced Nigeria’s information minister on Monday.
The UAE had halted visa issuance to Nigerians in 2022 when Emirates Airline suspended flights due to difficulties repatriating funds from Nigeria.
Following the clearance of a backlog of $137 million in foreign exchange owed to international airlines by Nigeria’s central bank, the agreement includes the reissuance of visas to Nigerian passport holders for travel to the UAE, effective immediately.
“This agreement includes updated controls and conditions to facilitate obtaining a UAE visa,” stated Information Minister Mohammed Idris.
Emirates had previously announced plans to resume flight schedules to Nigeria in October, marking the end of a nearly two-year hiatus in flights between the two countries.
The deal between Nigeria and the UAE signifies a positive step towards the restoration of travel and economic ties between the nations.
