Emirates Airlines has announced its plans to resume flight operations to Nigerian airports starting October 1, 2024, following a two-year hiatus from operating in Nigeria. The airline made this disclosure via its verified X handle on Thursday, expressing eagerness to reconnect Nigeria with its extensive network, providing seamless connectivity to Dubai and beyond, encompassing over 140 cities,leadership reports.
The decision was preceded by a hint from Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN. Keyamo shared on X (formerly Twitter) that he had met with Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Nigeria, in Abuja. During their meeting, Al-Shamsi presented Keyamo with correspondence from Emirates Airlines confirming the resumption date.
Keyamo stated, “Yesterday (On Tuesday), I paid a working visit to the Ambassador of the UAE to Nigeria, His Excellency, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi at the UAE Embassy in Abuja. He handed me a correspondence from the Emirates Airline indicating a definite date of their resumption of flights to Nigeria. That date will be formally announced by Emirates Airlines in a matter of days.”
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This announcement reflects ongoing efforts by the Nigerian government to reinstate flight operations between Nigeria and the UAE. It follows Keyamo’s previous announcement in November 2023, where he indicated that Emirates Airlines would soon disclose the precise date of their return to Nigerian airspace.
The suspension of flights between Nigeria and the UAE was part of a broader diplomatic discord, primarily revolving around the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA). Furthermore, visa restrictions exacerbated the situation, impacting Nigerian migrants and tourists, who frequently travel to the UAE.
Emirates Airlines ceased its flights to Nigeria in 2022 due to challenges in repatriating funds trapped in the country. Despite a meeting in September 2023 between Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, where there were speculations of the UAE lifting its visa ban on Nigerian travelers, the ban remains unchanged. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga later clarified that the UAE had not rescinded the visa restrictions on Nigerians.
