Yusuf Tuggar: UAE agreements, visa status still work in progress

Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs, says Nigeria’s agreements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are “still a work in progress”.

Since 2021, UAE and Nigeria have been engaging in a diplomatic row over issues involving flight allocations and travel bans and in October 2022, the UAE imposed a visa ban on Nigerians.

On Monday, Ajuri Ngelale, the presidential spokesperson, announced that Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines would resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria “without any further delay”.

Ngelale made the announcement after Tinubu met with Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE president, in Abu Dhabi.

However, according to a report by CNN, an official from the UAE contradicted the announcement and said the year-long visa ban on Nigerian travellers has not been lifted.

“There are no changes on the Nigeria/UAE travel status so far,” the official was quoted as saying.

When asked in an interview with Arise Television on Friday, Tuggar said the visa status and bilateral agreements between the two countries, are “still a work in progress”.

He added that clarifications will be made through a joint statement.

“It’s still an ongoing process, it is a partnership, it is repairing otherwise frayed nerves,” the minister said.

“It is better that whatever we do, we do in partnership with the UAE. So, I will not want to dwell too much on what is going on there or from our own side,” he said.

“I’m sure there will be joint statements that will clarify everything that has transpired and is unfolding, but it is positive.”