A contradiction has emerged regarding the purported lifting of the visa ban on Nigerian travelers to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A UAE official has contradicted the claim made by the Nigerian government, stating that there have been no changes to the travel status between Nigeria and the UAE.
The controversy began when Presidential spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, announced that the visa ban had been lifted following a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and UAE's Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The agreement was said to include the immediate resumption of flight schedules by Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines to and from Nigeria.
However, the UAE authorities remained silent on these issues in their statement after the meeting, causing suspicion among Nigerians. The UAE's statement emphasized bilateral collaboration and did not confirm the visa ban's removal or flight resumption.
In response to the confusion, Ngelale later stated that officials from both countries needed more time to finalize the agreement's details, contradicting his earlier announcement that the issue had been resolved.
Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, also mentioned during the Aviation Africa Summit that there is currently no specified timeframe for flight resumption. He emphasized the need to work out the intricate details before the airlines could operate the route.
This contradictory information has left Nigerian travelers and the public in a state of uncertainty regarding the status of the visa ban and flight operations between Nigeria and the UAE.
