Nigerians have taken to social media platforms to express mixed reactions following conflicting reports about the lifting of visa restrictions by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for Nigerian travellers.
On Tuesday, various news outlets circulated reports claiming that the UAE had lifted visa restrictions on Nigerian travellers. However, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, refuted the authenticity of the viral document in an update shared on his social media page.
In his statement, Onanuga clarified, “UAE has not resumed visa issuance to Nigerians. The document in circulation is not authorized either by the Nigerian government or the UAE.”
The update from Onanuga sparked a wave of mixed reactions among Nigerians, who had initially celebrated the reported lift of the visa ban. Many expressed disappointment and confusion over the contradictory information.
The visa ban on Nigeria by the UAE was initially implemented in October 2022, along with restrictions on citizens from approximately 20 other African nations. Among the affected countries were Uganda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and others. The ban created diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and the UAE, revolving around flight allocations and travel restrictions.
Since the imposition of the ban, efforts have been made to resolve the diplomatic dispute between the two countries. However, the recent conflicting reports have added to the uncertainty surrounding the status of visa issuance for Nigerian travellers to the UAE.
