Restrictions on direct flights between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates have been lifted after a long-standing disagreement between both governments over the use of rapid COVID-19 tests.

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates announced this on Saturday while giving an update on Dubai’s travel protocols for inbound passengers from South Africa, Nigeria, and India.

With the development, Nigerians will only need to present negative PCR tests taken within 48 hours before departure alongside a certificate and QR code from a government-approved laboratory. Passengers from South Africa and India need to prove they have received two doses of vaccines.

The directive, according to the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Management in Dubai, will become effective from June 23.

You would recall that the government of United Arab Emirates imposed stringent Covid19 protocols on Nigerians intending to travel to the country. The rule required that Nigerians will have to take three separate Covid19 test within the space of 24 hours before travel.