The federal government and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are set to resolve longstanding visa procurement challenges faced by Nigerians traveling to the UAE, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this after a meeting with the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Salem Alshamsi. She acknowledged that despite strong diplomatic ties between both nations, Nigerians have struggled to obtain UAE visas, particularly for tourism.
“Nigeria has remained committed to its relationship with the UAE. Dubai has become a popular destination for many Nigerians, and officially, about 12,000 Nigerians live in the UAE, working across different sectors,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.
She highlighted Nigeria’s economic contributions to the UAE, noting that in 2015 alone, nearly a million Nigerians visited Dubai, spending between $100 million and $150 million on visas and over $1 billion on tourism, education, and shopping. She emphasized the need for a more balanced economic relationship and raised concerns about the current visa restrictions, which have also affected some top Nigerian officials.
The minister also called for improved communication regarding UAE’s visa policies and proposed hosting a joint commission meeting in Nigeria. The last session was held in the UAE in 2022.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu also expressed gratitude to the UAE government for its recent donation of relief materials for flood victims and vaccines to support Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Ambassador Alshamsi reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to addressing visa challenges and strengthening economic ties. He revealed that over the past year and a half, the UAE had issued visas for Nigerian government officials and private individuals through an appointed agent.
“We have issued more than 700 tourism visas since July 2024, and I have had zero visa rejections since assuming office,” he stated.
He assured that discussions on visa reforms would continue, with a major agreement expected to be signed ahead of the Nigerian president’s visit to the UAE in the second quarter of 2025.
