Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are set to resolve the long-standing issues surrounding visa procurement for Nigerians traveling to the UAE. This development comes after a meeting between the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Salem Alshamsi.
According to Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the decision to address the visa challenges was made during her meeting with Alshamsi. She acknowledged that Nigerians have faced difficulties obtaining UAE visas, particularly tourism visas, despite the warm diplomatic relations between the two countries.
“Nigeria has remained committed to the relationship. The city of Dubai in the UAE has become a popular destination for many Nigerians. “Officially, about 12,000 Nigerians live in the UAE, ranging from unskilled workers to professionals and students across various institutions,” she said.
In 2015, nearly a million Nigerians visited the UAE, spending between $100 million and $150 million on visas alone and over $1 billion on shopping, school fees, tourism, and other activities. Odumegwu-Ojukwu emphasized the need for a more balanced economic relationship between the two nations.
The UAE Ambassador, Alshamsi, assured that his country is committed to resolving the visa challenges faced by Nigerians. He noted that over 700 tourism visas have been issued since July 2024, with zero rejections during his tenure.
A joint commission between Nigeria and the UAE is expected to take place, following the previous one hosted by the UAE in 2022. The two countries aim to strengthen their economic partnerships, with a major agreement expected to be signed before the Nigerian president’s visit to the UAE in the second quarter of 2025.
The UAE government has also been appreciated for their recent donation of relief materials to flood victims in Nigeria, as well as vaccines for chickenpox patients to support Nigeria’s health institutions.As the two nations work towards resolving the visa issues, it’s clear that their diplomatic relations and strategic partnerships will continue to grow stronger.
Source : https://gazettengr.com/
