In exciting news, the visa predicament that has caused Nigerians to be unable to visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) might soon find a happy ending, all thanks to the efforts of President Bola Tinubu.
In a special meeting held at the State House, President Tinubu had a productive discussion with Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria. During this meeting, the President clearly instructed that the issues revolving around Emirates Airline’s interactions with Nigeria and granting visas to Nigerian citizens should be dealt with urgently. President Tinubu even emphasised that he is ready to step in to ensure a resolution.
This meeting marks a significant step, as it’s the first time President Tinubu has directly addressed the ongoing problem that led to Emirates, the UAE’s main airline, suspending its flights to Nigeria.
“We’re like a big family in the UAE. It’s just that we live in separate rooms in the same house. It’s important to talk and find solutions when families face issues. Like in every family, there can be differences, but we should work as a team. We need to find common ground on things like aviation and immigration,” explained the President with a hopeful tone.
The UAE Ambassador shared his heartfelt connection with Nigeria during the meeting. He even went as far as calling himself a “Nigerian.” He deeply respected Nigeria’s history, its strong leadership role in Africa, and its well-known tradition of warmly welcoming visitors.
“Since I arrived in this amazing country, I’ve been working on 24 agreements, and progress is being made. These are minor issues, just like disagreements in a family, and they will be sorted out. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here in Nigeria,” the Ambassador enthusiastically stated.
He went on, “I’m also immensely honoured to meet His Excellency, President Tinubu, a remarkable leader not just in Nigeria but all of Africa. Please consider me a Nigerian and a part of your team.”
Let’s take a step back to understand how this situation arose. In October 2022, the UAE stopped giving visas to Nigerians. This unfortunate decision coincided with Emirates halting their flights to Nigeria. In response, Nigeria’s airline, Air Peace, also suspended its flights to Dubai because of the UAE’s visa restrictions.
Air Peace revealed that their flights would be paused starting November 22, 2022, until further notice. In a statement, the airline explained, “We’ve been operating flights to the UAE even with their travel restrictions. But with the increasing difficulties Nigerian travellers face in the UAE, we’ve decided to stop flying there temporarily.”
It’s a tough situation, but with President Tinubu’s involvement and the positive attitude shown by both countries, there’s a strong hope that this issue will soon be a thing of the past. The President’s comparison of the nations as a family facing a challenge is an inspiring way to look at it. Like in any family, disagreements can arise, but working with open hearts often leads to the best outcomes.
The UAE Ambassador’s fondness for Nigeria adds another layer of hope to this situation. With this kind of determination and camaraderie, the UAE visa ban will likely be resolved soon, allowing Nigerians to visit the UAE again for business, pleasure, and exploration.
