Emirates to restart flight operations in Nigeria 11 months after suspension

Emirates Airlines has resolved to resume flight operations in Nigeria immediately.

This came a few hours after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities lifted the visa ban slammed on Nigerians in October last year.

The Gulf State had earlier on Monday lifted the visa ban on Nigerian travellers following a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and his UAE counterpart, Mohamed bin Zayed, in Abu Dhabi.

Tinubu had during a meeting with the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria on August 24 promised to intervene in the dispute between the two countries.

The diplomatic row started in 2021 after UAE authorities restrained other airlines from bringing Nigerian passengers to the Middle Eastern nation.

The Federal Government later imposed restrictions on Emirates Airlines and slashed its frequencies from 21 per week to just one.

READ ALSO: UAE lifts visa ban on Nigerians as Tinubu secures landmark deal

The airline on October 29 last year suspended flight operations to Nigeria over its inability to repatriate its funds trapped in the country.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, confirmed the planned resumption of Emirates flight operations in a statement issued in Abu Dhabi.

He said the development was the outcome of the meeting between the Nigerian and UAE leaders.

The statement read: “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.

“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.

“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.”

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