Tinubu commits to resolving Nigeria-UAE visa dispute

The visa ban imposed on Nigerians by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) may soon come to an end, thanks to the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.

During a meeting with Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, at the State House on Thursday, the President instructed that matters concerning Emirates Airline’s relations and the issuance of visas to Nigerians should be promptly addressed. He underscored his willingness to personally intervene to ensure resolution.

This marks the first occasion on which Tinubu has addressed the deadlock that led to the suspension of flights to Nigeria by Emirates, the UAE’s national carrier.

“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,” the president stated.

The UAE Ambassador expressed a deep connection to Nigeria, seeing himself as a “Nigerian” due to the nation’s historical significance, its enduring leadership role in Africa, and its well-known tradition of welcoming strangers with hospitality.

“Since I arrived in the country, I have been working on 24 agreements. We are getting somewhere. These are small issues, all within a family, and they will be resolved. I am grateful to be here in Nigeria,” he said.