The United Arab Emirates government has lifted visa restrictions on Nigerian passport holders, effective immediately. This announcement was made by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, following a Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu on Monday.

Idris confirmed that the Federal Government of Nigeria and UAE authorities reached an agreement to vacate the travel restrictions. “I can tell you that the agreement has been reached, and effective from today, Nigerian passport holders intending to travel to the UAE are able to do so without any hindrance,” Idris stated.

Nigerians seeking updated information on UAE visa conditions can visit documentverificationhub.ae for further details. Idris mentioned that a formal statement with more details would be released later in the day.

The visa ban, which was imposed nearly two years ago due to several diplomatic disputes, had significant impacts. Dubai’s Emirates Airline halted flights to Nigeria because the Central Bank of Nigeria could not remit an estimated $85 million in revenue to the UAE.

In June, following numerous meetings with the UAE government, the Nigerian government assured its citizens that the visa ban would soon be lifted. The government also announced that it had paid 98 percent of the $850 million owed to the UAE, facilitating the resolution of the dispute.

The lifting of the visa restrictions marks a positive step in improving diplomatic and economic relations between Nigeria and the UAE.