The Presidency on Tuesday refuted earlier claims that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had lifted the visa restrictions on Nigerian travellers, News About Nigeria reports.
The announcement, which circulated online and was initially shared by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga, turned out to be inaccurate.
According to Onanuga’s clarification on his social media account, the UAE has not resumed visa issuance to Nigerians.
He said that the document in circulation was not authorised by either the Nigerian government or the UAE.
In October 2022, the UAE imposed a ban on citizens from around 20 African nations, including Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Cameroon, Liberia, and others.
The now-debunked notice, dated February 26, had claimed that the visa suspension was lifted as a result of alleged discussions between President Bola Tinubu and his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayad Al Nahyan.
The notice indicated the resumption of visa services for Nigerian citizens starting from March 4, 2024, and highlighted a shared vision for enhanced cooperation and mutual growth between the two nations.
“The government of Nigeria and the government of the United Arab Emirates are delighted to announce a pivotal development in our diplomatic relations: the resumption of visa services for Nigerian citizens wishing to visit the UAE, commencing on 4th March 2024.
“This agreement is the culmination of extensive dialogues between the two nations, highlighting a shared vision for enhanced cooperation and mutual growth,” the document had read.
Despite the confusion, the Nigerian government has not received any official confirmation regarding the lifting of the UAE visa ban, leaving the status of visa services for Nigerian travellers uncertain.
