In October 2022, it was reported that the UAE imposed a visa ban on Nigerians, shortly after Emirates Airlines suspended flights to Nigeria.
Speculations abound and many don’t yet know the reasons behind such a move, although there were unfounded claims it came in response to Nigeria’s failure to repatriate billions of dollars in trapped funds.
Regardless, that is water under the bridge now as Nigerian President Bola Tinubu resolved the issue following a meeting Monday with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Read: Visa free travel to the UAE from 82 countries
In a statement released by the president’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, the presidency said that Tinubu and the UAE President finalized a historic agreement.
The agreement calls for the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travelers to the UAE.
Both Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways will immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay.
There was no indication that a financial pledge was made by the Nigerian government.
However, there was an agreed framework involving several billions of U.S. dollars’ worth of new investments into the Nigerian economy across multiple sectors, including defense, and agriculture, among others.
A new foreign exchange liquidity program between the two countries, the details of which are forthcoming, was successfully and jointly negotiated.
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