Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will hold high-level discussions in the coming days to address the ongoing visa challenges facing Nigerians.
Naija News The report said the decision was made at a meeting between the UAE ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Said Alshamsi and Nigerian Foreign Minister.
Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Tafawa Balewa House in Abuja. The development was confirmed in a press statement issued by Magnus Eze, special assistant to the communications and new media media.
Nigerians, especially tourists and business travelers, face ongoing visa difficulties, raising concerns at the diplomatic and government levels.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu emphasized the strong diplomatic and economic ties between Nigeria and the UAE, but pointed out that trade relations remain largely unilateral.
Dubai has become the preferred destination for many Nigerians. Officially, approximately 12,000 Nigerians live in the UAE, including professionals, students and unskilled workers. In 2015 alone, nearly one million Nigerians visited the UAE, spending $100 million to $150 million on visas and more than $1 billion on shopping and other economic activities. ” She said.
She further urged to clarify all new visa policies that affect Nigerians and said: “There are many concerns about the visa situation.
Even senior government officials expressed concern. Do Nigerians have new visa policies? We need to know what to tell our citizens, as Nigerians make substantial investments in property, tourism and business in the UAE. ”
Horizon Joint Committee Meeting
Following the last meeting in the UAE in 2022, the minister also announced plans for Nigeria to hold another joint committee meeting.
“We hope to pay back by presiding the Joint Committee in Nigeria. We need to discuss several bilateral issues, including power and renewable energy. We also need to finalize the outstanding memorandum of understanding (MOUS),” She said.
She expressed her gratitude to the UAE for its recent donation of relief materials for chickenpox vaccines for flood victims and Nigerian patients.
UAE is committed to solving visa issues
In response, Ambassador Alshams assured Nigeria that the UAE’s commitment to addressing visa-related challenges and strengthening bilateral relations.
“I have been in Nigeria for a year and a half and we have issued visas to government officials and private applicants. We have added visa issuance through appointed agents and we have issued more than 700 tourist visas since July 2024,” He said.
He further promised that the UAE would address outstanding visa issues and optimize existing agreements between the two countries.
“Sometimes we may disagree on certain issues, but it’s not personal. We will work together as partners. We have signed three to four agreements and will soon sign another one before the president’s visit to Nigeria in the second quarter of this year.” Alshamsi added.
