UAE Lifts Visa Ban for Nigerian Passport Holders Following Diplomatic Agreement

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially lifted the visa ban for Nigerian passport holders following a diplomatic agreement reached between the two countries. The announcement was made by Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, through a statement issued by his Special Assistant (Media), Rabiu Ibrahim, in Abuja.

While addressing the media on Tuesday, Minister Idris highlighted the significant progress made in the discussions between Nigeria and the UAE regarding visa issues. The lifting of the visa ban means that Nigerian passport holders can now obtain visas to travel to the UAE without restrictions.

For almost two years, the UAE had imposed a visa ban on Nigeria due to various diplomatic disputes that strained relations between the two nations. This ban also led to Dubai’s Emirates Airline suspending flights to Nigeria, citing the Central Bank of Nigeria‘s failure to remit approximately $85 million in revenue to the UAE as a key reason.

After a series of diplomatic engagements and negotiations over the past months, the Federal Government of Nigeria successfully resolved the outstanding issues with the UAE. In June, assurances were given to the Nigerian public that the visa ban would be lifted, and the payment of 98% of the $850 million owed to the UAE further facilitated the restoration of travel between the two countries.