The Nigerian government and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to remove travel ban placed on Nigerians with effect from today, July 15.
The minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Monday to the newsmen at the State House after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Monday.
This is to take effect immediately, according to the Minister, Nigerians who holds UAE passport can now travel to the Country.
“Today an agreement has been reached with the UAE effective from today July 15, Nigerian passport holders intending to travel to UAE can do so.” he said.
It can be recalled that on 13th December, 2021, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) imposed ban on travellers from Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo over the escalation of Convid-19 cases among travellers from the afforementioned African countries.
Furthermore, Nigeria’s case aggravated, stemming diplomatic dispute between Nigeria and the UAE regarding the Air Peace’s flight frequency to the UAE and funds owed UAE’s Emirates Airlines trapped in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as at then.
Air peace at the time requested three weekly flights to Sharjah Airport, but the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) granted only one
The GCAA said Air Peace could not expect to retain its flight frequency after withdrawing from Sharjah Airport, a claim the Nigerian Airlines denied.
Responding to the development by UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) the Nigerian federal government brought down Emirates’ flight slots from Twenty-one to one, which later prompted Dubai-based airline to restrict all flights to Nigeria.
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