United Arab Emirates Lifts Visa Ban On Nigerians, Resume Flights

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lifted ban on Nigerians, even as it announces immediate resumption of flights to Nigeria.
This came during a meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the UAE’s President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, today in Abu Dhabi.
Both leaders finalized the agreement, resulting in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travelers. In the agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay.
A statement by the special adviser to President Tinubu on media and publicity, Ajuri Ngelale said that the negotiations between the two Heads of State for immediate restoration of flight activity does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government.
He said that in recognition of President Tinubu’s economic development diplomacy drive and proposal, presented by President Tinubu to his counterpart, an agreed framework was established, which will involve several billions of U.S. dollars worth of new investments into the Nigerian economy across multiple sectors, including defense, agriculture and others, by the investment arms of the Government of the United Arab Emirates.
Ngelale said that President Tinubu is pleased to have successfully negotiated a joint, new foreign exchange liquidity programme between the two Governments, which will be announced in detail in the coming weeks.
He said that the President commends the UAE President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for his unalloyed friendship and his determined effort to join hands with him to fully normalize and reset to excellence, the standard of relations between the two important countries.