UAE Rejects Buhari’s Plea, Maintains Indefinite Visa Ban On Nigerians

The appeal of the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari to lift a visa ban imposed on Nigerian nationals since October 2022 has been rejected by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

However, the ban imposed by UAE on Nigerian nationals does not affect persons holding diplomatic passports.

President Buhari last month in a telephone conversation had appealed to his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayad Al Nahyan, to remove the visa ban on Nigerians.

The content of their discussion was later relayed by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu.

It was stated that President Buhari during the phone conversation said he had directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to increase the amount of foreign exchange allocated to Emirates Airlines, a bane of the now-resolved months-long diplomatic row between the two nations and as a show of goodwill towards the Arab nation.

The UAE since the phone conversation with President Buhari remained silent.

According to Vanguard, UAE instead of acting on the demands of the Nigerian President said the travel restrictions on Nigerians and other Africans accused of constituting unrest in its territory through cultism and other illegal activities stay.

It is unclear whether President Buhari whose administration would end in a few months would be able to persuade the Sheikh to remove the ban.