Nigerians can now travel to Dubai, as Emirates and Etihad resume flights
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Globe trotting Nigerians can now visit Dubai, their new favourite haunt in the Gulf, as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) lifted on Monday its visa ban on citizens from Africa’s most populous country on the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.
UAE – owners of Emirates Airlines and headquarters of Etihad Airways – imposed the ban in the Muhammadu Buhari years but he, as usual, neglected to resolve the issue.
Tinubu picked it up, and resolved it, burnishing his battered image among middle class folks grumbling about his policies of economic hardship.
Both Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways have announced immediate resumption of flight operations in Nigeria, a very lucrative travel market.
“President Bola Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday in Abu Dhabi, have finalised a historic agreement, which has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travelers,” Presidential Media Adviser Ajuri Ngelale said in a statement.
“Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay.”
The resolution followed talks between Tinubu and Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi where Tinubu travelled to after the G20 Summit in New Delhi.
He got the ban lifted three weeks after he expressed willingness to personally intervene to end the ban imposed since October 2022.
“We are a family with the UAE; we only live in separate rooms but in the same house. We should look at the issues as a family problem and resolve it amicably. As you know, in every family, there are peculiarities,”Tinubu had told UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, in Abuja on August 24.
“You can have an erring son or daughter, but we must work together. We need to agree on core aviation and immigration issues.
The UAE in October 2022 banned nationals of about countries, most of them from Africa, from entering its borders.
“This is to inform you that we will not be posting 30 days visa applications for these nationalities effective today, October 18, 2022,” the notice warned.
The countries include Uganda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Cameroon, Nigeria, Liberia, Burundi, Republic of Guinea, Gambia, Togo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Benin, Ivory Coast, Congo, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Comoros, and the Dominican Republic.
“Any applications from the above-mentioned countries will be sent back or canceled,” the notice added. The ban does not affect those with diplomatic passports.
Since the ban, the UAE and Nigeria have been locked in a diplomatic row over flight allocations and travel restrictions.
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The PUNCH reports aviation stakeholders welcomed the lifting of the visa ban but also spoke on the need to tackle other related issues.
Olumide Ohunayo (Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative)
“Congratulations that the President was able to get the visa ban lifted, and business can return fully among the two countries while we make efforts to repatriate airline funds.
“It is good to see that Emirates and Etihad are returning. I just hope Nigerian airlines will have the same slots and frequencies in Dubai and not outside Dubai airports, under the principle of reciprocity.”
Roland Iyayi (former Nigerian Airspace Management Agency Managing Director)
“If Air Peace starts flying into Dubai, Emirates will reduce their price because they know that its price will be lower and will want to match theirs, so they don’t lose most of their passengers.
“So, there’s a possibility that fares will be reduced given the competition between Emirates and Air Peace which is indeed very good for the country.”
John Ojikutu (former Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos Military Commandant)
“It is not about Emirates and Etihad alone, it is about every other foreign airlines that operate to Nigeria and pay our aviation services providers in dollars.”