President Bola Tinubu is set to meet with the leadership of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to address diplomatic issues, including the suspension of Emirates Airlines flights to Nigeria and visa bans. The meeting is scheduled for 5 pm UAE time and aims to resolve these issues that have strained relations between the two countries.
Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Management, Festus Keyamo, confirmed that he traveled to Abu Dhabi to join the President for discussions with UAE officials. The issues at hand include the UAE’s visa ban on Nigerians, imposed in October 2022, and the suspension of Emirates Airlines flights to Nigeria. These actions were reportedly taken in response to Nigeria’s failure to repatriate trapped funds.
The President had previously expressed his willingness to personally intervene in resolving these matters during a meeting with the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria. He emphasized the importance of resolving these issues amicably, considering the strong ties between the two countries.
This meeting between President Tinubu and UAE authorities is seen as a crucial step in addressing and resolving these diplomatic challenges that have affected travel and relations between Nigeria and the UAE.