It was earlier reported that the UAE had announced the restoration of visa services for Nigerians, confirming that they can now visit the country again.
The restoration of visa services according to earlier reports was announced in a joint statement by the federal government of Nigeria and the UAE titled “Resumption of Visa Services for Nigerians Travelling to the UAE, ” dated March 4, 2024.
But in a post via his official X handle on Tuesday evening, presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, refuted the reports, saying that UAE has not resumed visa issuance to Nigerians.
The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy said the document in circulation is not authorised either by the Nigerian or the UAE governments.
He wrote: “UAE has not resumed visa issuance to Nigerians. The document in circulation is not authorised either by the Nigerian government or the UAE.”
The UAE had in 2022, banned about 20 countries including Nigeria from travelling to Dubai, leading to a diplomatic row between the two nations.
Recall that the UAE had in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and behaviour of some nationals of other countries in 2022 banned nationals of some 20 African countries including Nigeria from entering its capital city, Dubai.
This was followed by a spat between Nigeria and UAE over the procedure for handling travellers entering Dubai during the pandemic which Nigeria frowned at.
The decision among others forced Emirates to exit Nigeria including claims of millions of dollars belonging to the country trapped in Nigeria.
Upon assumption of office, President Tinubu had directed the resolution of a diplomatic spat with the UAE over the suspension of Nigerian visas in retaliation for Lagos’s retention of funds owed to the Emirates.
Tinubu told the ambassador that both nations should agree on core aviation and immigration issues.
He had said: “We are a family with the UAE. We only live in separate rooms, but we are in the same house.
“We should look at the issues as a family problem and resolve it amicably. As you know, in every family, there are peculiarities. You can have an erring son or daughter, but we must work together. We need to agree on core aviation and immigration issues.”
