Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has applauded the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the leadership of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which resulted into the lifting of visa ban on Nigerians and resumption of Etihad and Emirates Airlines into the country.
In a statement in Abuja by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Head of Media and Public Relations of the Commission, said with this unique diplomatic achievement, Nigerians working in the UAE, who could not have their work permits renewed can now heave a sigh of relief.
The NIDCOM boss said the intervention will usher a new era of collaboration and friendship between the two nations – Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
Besides, the lifting of ban and resumption of flights into Nigeria, Dabiri-Erewa said the bilateral parley also laid a robust foundation for substantial investments in various sectors in Nigeria.
The NIDCOM Chairman, who has been amazed with calls from excited Nigerians living in the UAE, urged them to continue to be good Ambassadors of Nigeria.
It will be recalled that diplomatic row broke out between the two countries over a year ago due to some unresolved differences which had brought untold hardship to travelling Nigerians as well as those living in UAE.
The diplomatic parley thus resolved as follows:
- Immediate lifting of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travellers by the UAE.
- Resumption of flight schedules into and out of Nigeria by Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines, without any immediate payment required from the Nigerian government.
- An agreed framework for new investments worth several billions of U.S. dollars into the Nigerian economy by the UAE government, covering multiple sectors including defense and agriculture.
- A new joint foreign exchange liquidity programme between Nigeria and the UAE, details of which will be announced in the coming weeks.
- A commitment to normalize and enhance the relations between the two countries, fostered by the collaboration between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
