In a significant development, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially lifted the visa ban on Nigeria, originally put in place in October 2022. This breakthrough came after a pivotal meeting between Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held on Monday, September 11 in Abu Dhabi. The visa ban had previously prevented Nigerians from traveling to the UAE, a favored tourist destination for many Nigerians. It was primarily instituted due to concerns related to security and illegal immigration.
The agreement to revoke the visa ban also encompasses a commitment from the UAE to recommence flights connecting the two nations. Both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines had suspended their flight services to Nigeria in August 2022 in response to the visa ban. This development is expected to not only strengthen diplomatic ties between Nigeria and the UAE but also stimulate tourism and trade exchanges between the two nations.