By Chinelo Obogo, Lagos
United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lifted its travel ban on Nigeria, Emirate airline announcing that it would resume flights into the country on June 23.
A statement from Dubai Media Office said passengers from Nigeria are expected to have received a negative result for a PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure.
Passengers are also expected to present a negative PCR test certificate with a QR code from laboratories approved by the Nigerian government, while also undergoing same test upon arrival at the Dubai airport.
Emirates had on February 1 directed that Nigerian travellers at the Lagos and Abuja airports must conduct rapid COVID-19 tests before departure. This directive made the federal government impose a ban on Emirates flights into Nigeria. The ban was lifted after the airline agreed to stop the rapid antigen tests.
The ban on Emirates was reintroduced on March 15 after the Federal Government accused the airline of rescinding on the agreement.
On March 25, the UAE embassy in Abuja announced new COVID-19 travel protocols for Nigeria as measures to curtail the spread of coronavirus in the country, passengers who have been in or transited through South Africa or Nigeria in the last 14 days before travelling to Dubai were barred from entering Dubai
Emirates Airlines in a statement said it welcomes the latest protocols and measures announced by Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management to allow the safe resumption of passenger travel from South Africa, Nigeria and India to Dubai.
‘We look forward to facilitating travel from these countries and supporting various travelers’ categories. We will resume carrying passengers from South Africa, Nigeria and India in accordance with these protocols from 23rd June.
‘We thank the Supreme Committee for their continuous efforts in monitoring the development of the situation and announcing the appropriate guidelines and protocols to protect the community and safeguard travel sector,’ the airline said.