UAE Debunks Placing Travel Restriction On Nigerians

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has debunked media reports claiming that it placed travel restrictions on Nigerians.

The UAE Embassy, Abuja, in a statement released on Thursday, said that it only temporarily suspended the issuance of UAE visas to all nationalities since March 17, 2020, as part of precautionary measures to combat the spread of coronavirus.

It also stated that the information is against the long-standing relationship it had with Nigeria.

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The statement reads, “In response to recent press and social media reports regarding purported travel restrictions between the UAE and Nigeria, and in an affirmation of the growing bilateral relations between the two friendly countries, the UAE Embassy in Abuja denies the accuracy of the information contained in these reports.

“At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE took a number of precautionary measures to combat the virus’ spread, including the temporary suspension on issuing UAE visas for all nationalities as of March 17, 2020.

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“After entering the recovery phase of the pandemic, the UAE eased some measures on July 7, permitting visitors from various countries to adhere to the necessary precautionary measures, including by showing negative PCR test results within 92 hours of travelling to the UAE. This includes those visiting from Nigeria.”

However, the UAE embassy said travel between the UAE and Nigeria has remained limited owing to the closure of Nigerian airspace, and that it is working closely with the Nigerian Government to obtain the necessary approvals to facilitate travel between the two countries.