Emirates will return to Nigeria!

Nigeria can expect to re-establish direct flight connections with the UAE immediately as Emirates is set to resume flight schedules to the West African nation. This follows fruitful discussions on September 11 between the leaders of both countries. The UAE has also agreed to lift the visa ban imposed on Nigerian travelers.

One meeting. Two outcomes

President Bola Tinubu met with his Emirati counterpart today during a technical stopover in Abu Dhabi following his departure from Abu Dhabi. The meeting has produced positive results on pending issues, as airline activity will resume and the year-long visa ban will be lifted.

Tinubu's Special Adviser Ajuri Ngelale said in a statement;

"President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday in Abu Dhabi, have finalized a historic agreement, which has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travelers."

"Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airways and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria without any further delays."

Additionally, the President's office confirmed that the resumption of non-stop flights will not require immediate payment from the West African state. Instead, the leaders have agreed on a framework expected to inject billions of dollars into the Nigerian economy in several sectors. Ngelale added;

"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 of US 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."

Emirates' operations in Nigeria

Although dates were not specified, it won't be long before Nigeria can welcome back one of the world's largest carriers. The Dubai-based outfit suspended flights to Nigeria in October 2022 because of blocked funds. Today, over $700 million belonging to various international airlines remains trapped with the Nigerian government.

For years, Emirates had been one of the largest international carriers in Nigeria in terms of passengers and number of flights. In pre-pandemic 2019, the carrier operated up to 71 monthly flights between Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Lagos Murtala Muhammed Airport (LOS). Before the flight suspension, the airline operated an average of 44 monthly DXB-LOS flights with the Boeing 777-300ER.

According to the Nigerian CAA's executive summary. From January to October 2022, Emirates operated 365 flights between Nigeria and the UAE, carrying 117,140 passengers. This was 0.1% of the passengers who flew through Nigerian airports last year.

The airline's return will be significant for Nigerian aviation and the re-establishment of direct connections with the UAE. Millions of Nigerians previously flew to Dubai annually for business, tourism, and to connect to various destinations worldwide. When Emirates graces the LOS runway again, it will make its way to the new terminal, where all international airlines have been relocated.

Visas for Nigerians

The UAE imposed a ban on Nigerian travelers amid diplomatic conflict last year. This significantly affected the operations of Air Peace, which was forced to suspend all flights to Dubai. The carrier launched DXB flights from Lagos in March 2022 and Abuja in April 2022. The latest developments will be essential for the private airline.

Today, we reported that United Nigeria Airlines received local approval to launch flights to the US, the UK, the UAE, and three other countries. While it will face several challenges in commencing these services, visa issuance was one of the main problems to resolve before it could start flying to Dubai.

Last month, President Bola Tinubu called for an immediate resolution to the conflict between Nigeria and the UAE, which affected airline operations and passenger activity. Ultimately, the Presidential stopover has produced positive results for West African aviation.

Are you excited to see Emirates back in Nigeria soon? Please share your thoughts in the comments!