President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday, September 11, in Abu Dhabi, finalized a historic agreement resulting in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travelers.
Besides lifting the visa ban, the two countries announced immediate flight travel between Nigeria and UAE.
“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,” Presidency Nigeria noted.
“As negotiated between the two Heads of State, this immediate restoration of flight activity, through these two airlines and between the two countries, does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government,” the statement added.
UAE also agreed to pump billions into the Nigerian economy promoting employment and industrialisation in the West African country.
“In recognition of President Tinubu’s economic development diplomacy drive and proposals today presented by President Tinubu to his counterpart, an agreed framework has been established, which will involve several billions of U.S. dollars worth of new investments into the Nigerian economy across multiple sectors, including defense, agriculture and others, by the investment arms of the Government of the United Arab Emirates,” Tinubu informed Nigerians.
To help the Nigerian currency, Tinubu also agreed with the UAE to help in stabilizing the Naira which recorded a historic low in recent months.
“Additionally, President Tinubu is pleased to have successfully negotiated a joint, new foreign exchange liquidity programme between the two Governments, which will be announced in detail in the coming weeks,” Nigeria presidential adviser Chief Ajuri Ngelale stated.
“In conclusion, the President wishes to commend the UAE President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for his unalloyed friendship and his determined effort to join hands with him to fully normalize and reset to excellence, the standard of relations between the two important countries,” Ngelale insisted in a press release to newsrooms.
UAE banned citizens from different countries including Nigeria in October 2022.
Other countries affected by the visa ban included Uganda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Cameroon, 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.
