From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, (Abuja) and Chinelo Obogo
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially lifted its travel ban on Nigerians, allowing Nigerian passport holders to obtain visas and travel to the UAE without any restrictions. This development was announced by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, at the conclusion of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu on Monday.
The travel ban, which had been enforced for over two years, stemmed from diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and the UAE. Initially imposed in 2021 due to a surge in COVID-19 cases among travelers from Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the ban was exacerbated by a disagreement over flight frequencies involving Nigerian carrier Air Peace and the UAE’s aviation authority. This discord led to Emirates airline experiencing reduced flight slots in Nigeria.
Under the new agreement, Nigerian passport holders are now able to freely obtain visas and travel to the UAE effective immediately from July 15, 2024. Minister Idris affirmed, “Nigeria has been in discussions with the United Arab Emirates regarding visa issuance for Nigerian passport holders. Today, we are pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached, and Nigerian passport holders can now travel to the UAE without hindrance.”
The lifting of the travel ban has generated mixed reactions.
The president of the National Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), Ime Udoh, told Daily Sun that even though some tour operators are happy with the lifting of the visa ban, many are indifferent.“There has been mixed reactions among the tour operators to the news. We all know that Dubai is one of the destinations that Nigerians want to travel to and it is an easy sell for tour operators. But because of the long ban on Nigeria over time, a lot of people have discovered new destinations and they have moved on and we are beginning to look inwards to promote our own destinations as well. Many people have realized that we can do without Dubai. We think that for them to ban us for this long shows that they don’t appreciate us, so we go where we are valued, “she said.
Also speaking, the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents (NANTA) said that as a body, it is elated over as it has been a major expectation of members.
Speaking to Daily Sun, the national president of the body, Yinka Folami, said that even though travel agents are elated about the prospects of generating more revenue with the lifting of the visa ban by the UAE, Nigeria should not forget the countries and airlines that stood by the nation and did not shut their doors or block their lower inventories.
He said: “The travel industry is very elated about it because it has been a major expectation of members and we are not surprised that it is coming now because Emirates announced about two months ago that they are resuming flights into Nigeria. So, if they don’t lift visas, where would the traffic come from? It would translate to more business for travel agents but particularly the traveling public, especially those who want to travel to Dubai for business and leisure. So, it is a good thing for both sides. However, in the euphoria, we should not forget the airlines that stood by us when Emirates and the UAE shut their doors. We should not forget the airlines that left their lower inventories open to us and the countries that didn’t impose visa ban on us.”