The United Arab Emirates (UAE) says it will resume passenger flights from 12 African countries, including Nigeria, from Saturday, January 29.

The UAE’s National Emergency and Crisis Management Authority (NCEMA) announced this in a Twitter post on Wednesday.

“From January 29, entry into the UAE for arrivals from Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, the Republic of South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe is allowed again,” the tweet reads.

The country’s agency said entry procedures have been updated for flights originating from Ghana, Rwanda, and Uganda.

According to the statement, passengers arriving from these three countries to the UAE must have a negative COVID-19 test obtained within 48 hours of departure from the approved labs in their respective countries.

It added that passengers must undergo a Rapid PCR test at the airports of departure. On arrival in the UAE, they will be subjected to another PCR test, asking residents of African countries to refrain from travelling to the country if they have COVID-19 symptoms.

The travel restrictions were imposed in December by the Arab country over the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.