The United Arab Emirates (UAE) made no mention of the removal of the visa requirement for visitors from Nigeria in a statement released after a meeting on Monday between its president, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and his Nigerian counterpart, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to a Platinum Times article, Tinubu traveled from India, where he attended the G-20 Summit, to Abu Dahbi, the capital of the UAE.
The meeting with the UAE authorities was successful, according to a statement released on Monday by the presidential spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale.
Ngelale claims that disagreements over the visa ban that affected Nigerian travelers ten months ago, as well as the suspension of flights by Etihad and Emirates, were settled at the meeting.
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“On Monday in Abu Dhabi, President Bola Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, finalized a historic agreement that has resulted in the immediate lifting of the visa requirement for travelers from Nigeria.”
“Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay,” Ngelale added.
But according to Emirates News Agency, the UAE’s official news agency, during the meeting at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, Nahyan once again congratulated Tinubu on assuming the presidency and wished him luck in guiding Nigeria and its people to further development and prosperity.
Below is the full statement issued by UAE:
President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today met with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who is on a working visit to the UAE.
During the meeting, which took place at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed renewed his congratulations to Tinubu on assuming the presidency earlier this year, and wished him every success in leading Nigeria and its people to further progress and prosperity.
His Highness expressed his hope that the two leaders will work together to reinforce ties between the UAE and Nigeria for the benefit of both countries.
The UAE President and Nigerian President explored opportunities for further bilateral collaboration in areas that serve both countries’ sustainable economic growth, including the economic, development, energy, and climate action fields.
The two sides also exchanged views on a number of regional and international developments of interest.
The meeting discussed the upcoming COP28 climate conference set to take place in the UAE later this year, with both parties stressing the vital importance of encouraging and enabling international cooperation to tackle global issues, including climate change.
His Highness underscored the UAE’s ongoing commitment to fostering ties with countries that share the same aspirations for stability, sustainable growth, and development and prosperity for their people. He further emphasised the particular importance the UAE attaches to its relationship with Nigeria, within the framework of its strategic vision for relations with the African continent.
The President of Nigeria expressed his pleasure to be visiting the UAE and affirmed his country’s keenness to further enhance bilateral cooperation to support sustainable development and progress in both countries.
The meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor for Special Affairs at the Ministry of Presidential Court; Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President; Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; and Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
The meeting was also attended by the delegation accompanying the Nigerian President, which included a number of ministers and high-ranking officials.