Dubai-based Emirates airline has announced plans to resume flight operations to Nigeria starting October 1, marking the end of a nearly two-year suspension. The airline halted services in 2022 after it was unable to repatriate funds trapped in Nigeria, prompting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to stop issuing visas to Nigerian citizens.
"We are excited to resume our services to Nigeria. We thank the Nigerian Government for their partnership and support in re-establishing this route, and we look forward to welcoming passengers back on board," said Adnan Kazim, Emirates'Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, in a statement.
The Lagos-Dubai route, once one of the airline's most popular African connections, will once again link Nigerian travelers to Dubai and onwards to more than 140 destinations worldwide. Emirates also confirmed that cargo flights resume as part of the schedule.
The development follows a September 2024 meeting in Abu Dhabi between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during which both leaders discussed lifting the visa ban and expanding investment opportunities between the two countries.