Emirates Airlines has resumed its daily flights between Dubai and Lagos after a two-year break.
The flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) restarted its flight operations to Nigeria on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. The airline’s flight landed at Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on Tuesday afternoon, coinciding with Nigeria’s celebration of 64 years of independence from British colonial rule.
The flight, which lasted over eight hours, touched down at 3:32 PM, according to air traffic controllers.
Emirates Airlines suspended its Dubai-Lagos flights in November 2022 due to difficulties in repatriating trapped funds in Nigeria amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
Historically, Nigeria and the UAE have faced restrictions on flights due to unresolved issues regarding the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA). This situation was further complicated by visa restrictions as diplomatic relations continued to deteriorate, despite the UAE being a popular destination for Nigerian migrants and tourists.
However, in September 2023, President Bola Tinubu met with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi to improve diplomatic relations. Following this, in May 2024, Emirates Airlines announced that its daily Lagos-Dubai flights would resume on October 1, 2024.
Two months later, the Federal Government of Nigeria reached an agreement with the UAE, allowing Nigerian passport holders to obtain visas for travel to the Arab nation.