After two years of travel restrictions, passport holders can now obtain visas to travel to the United Arab Emirates, effective July 15, 2024, the Nigerian government said Monday.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
This followed an agreement reached by the UAE and the federal government on the controversial visa ban on Nigerians in the Arab nation.
The Minister 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 visas to go to the United Arab Emirates.
“Details of that will be provided to you later today when we put out a statement. But I can tell you that the agreement has been reached and is effective today. Nigerian passport holders intending to travel to the UAE are able to do so.”
The UAE suspended the issuance of visas to Nigerians over two years ago due to a diplomatic row between both countries.
In May, the UAE national carrier, Emirates Airlines, announced that its daily Lagos-Dubai flights would resume from October 1, 2024.