UAE shocks Nigerian Presidency, denies claims of lifting visa ban, flight operations

Amid celebrations over a purported ‘historic and landmark’ agreement secured by President Bola Tinubu during meeting with his United Arab Emirates (UAE) counterpart, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Monday, the Gulf nation has tacitly refuted the bulk of such reports.

It would be recalled that Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, has set the media and the country as he reported in his statement, .Monday, that his principal had secured ‘historisc and landmark’ deals from the UAE, including but not limited to getting the Gulf nation to lift the year-long visa ban on Nigerian travellers, restoring direct flight operations into the country, and others.

However, reporting on the meeting in its own statement, released, late Monday, the UAE failed to mention any of these agreements purportedly reached with the Nigerian leader who was on a state visit to the country from India where he had attended the G-20 meeting.

According to the Presidency, the two leaders have also agreed to a framework which will involve several billions of U.S. dollars, worth of new investments into the Nigerian economy across multiple sectors, including defence, agriculture and others, by the investment arms of the Government of the United Arab Emirates.

Furthermore, President Tinubu also successfully reportedly negotiated a joint, new foreign exchange liquidity programme between the two Governments, which will be announced in detail in the coming weeks.

The statement added that the immediate restoration of flight activities, through the two airlines and between the two countries, does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government.

The statement further mentioned that President Tinubu also successfully negotiated a joint, new foreign exchange liquidity.

“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 Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay.

“As negotiated between the two Heads of State, this immediate restoration of flight activity, through these two airlines and between the two countries, does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government,” Ngelale statement read.

However, releasing its own report on the meeting, the UAE authorities did not disclose any of these agreements, or even hint at it.

UAE did not make any comment on lifting the visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers in its statement on the meeting its president, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, had with his Nigerian counterpart, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Monday.

“President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today met with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who is on a working visit to the UAE.

“During the meeting, which took place at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed renewed his congratulations to Tinubu on assuming the presidency earlier this year, and wished him every success in leading Nigeria and its people to further progress and prosperity.

“His Highness expressed his hope that the two leaders will work together to reinforce ties between the UAE and Nigeria for the benefit of both countries.

“The UAE President and Nigerian President explored opportunities for further bilateral collaboration in areas that serve both countries’ sustainable economic growth, including the economic, development, energy, and climate action fields.

“The two sides also exchanged views on a number of regional and international developments of interest.

“The meeting discussed the upcoming COP28 climate conference set to take place in the UAE later this year, with both parties stressing the vital importance of encouraging and enabling international cooperation to tackle global issues, including climate change.

“His Highness underscored the UAE’s ongoing commitment to fostering ties with countries that share the same aspirations for stability, sustainable growth, and development and prosperity for their people. “He further emphasised the particular importance the UAE attaches to its relationship with Nigeria, within the framework of its strategic vision for relations with the African continent.

“The President of Nigeria expressed his pleasure to be visiting the UAE and affirmed his country’s keenness to further enhance bilateral cooperation to support sustainable development and progress in both countries.

“The meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor for Special Affairs at the Ministry of Presidential Court; Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President; Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; and Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

“The meeting was also attended by the delegation accompanying the Nigerian President, which included a number of ministers and high-ranking officials,” the UAE report read in full.

The UAE terminated issuing travel visas to Nigerians following reports of ;unwholesome practices and conduct of the country’s citizens in the Gulf nation.

The matter had first erupted over Covid-19 protocols for travellers in 2020 as accusations and counter-accusations trailed the UAE’s decision to impose heavy restrictions and requirements on Nigerian entries while exempting other countries from similar protocols.

The immediate past Minister of Aviation then announced a reciprocal imposition on similar requirements on Emiratis into Nigeria.

The case of flight ban was imposed on the UAE on its own airlines operating into Nigeria. The country had ordered its airlines to stop operations into Nigeria following the latter’s continued withholding of its foreign exchange amounting to hundreds of thousands of US Dollars of yet to be repatriated funds.

Emirates Airways and Etihad top the list of foreign airlines owed withheld funds by the Nigerian government.

A decision was made by the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari to get the UAE to allow flight operations of their two national carriers into Nigeria. However, the appeal came in the twilight of Buhari’s administration, as the UAE were not convinced about the policies of the incoming administration, and so shelved the move.

A decision to reopen flight operations by the two airlines can only come with the full commitment of the Nigerian government to repatriate trapped funds or on a guarantee of such action before normalcy can be restored.