Connect with us

Travel

Nigerians Await Visas to Join Ukraine War

Published

on

international-passport

Bohdan Soltys, Second Secretary at the Ukrainian Embassy to Nigeria, has disclosed that a list of those willing to fight for Ukraine has been sent to Kyiv.

The Secretary revealed that about 100 Nigerians have willingly requested to be drafted to fight in the war against the Russian invasion. Speaking to newsmen, the secretary revealed: “About 100 people wrote to us and said they would like to do this. We have transferred the information to the Ukrainian government and so far we have not received any feedback and (a) positive response.”

This update is in response to The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba’s tweet where he asked foreigners to help fight for Ukraine’s sovereignty against Russia’s attack. His tweet read: “Foreigners willing to defend Ukraine and world order as part of the International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine, I invite you to contact foreign diplomatic missions of Ukraine in your respective countries. Together we defeated Hitler, and we will defeat Putin, too.”

Secretary Bohdan, however, noted that women are not allowed to fight in the war for now.

Although the Ukrainian government have closed its airspace, foreigners interested in fighting for Ukraine will have to use land borders in Romania, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. However, while Nigerians may have requested to join in the fight, Secretary Bohdan also pointed out that it may take longer before Nigerians can get to Ukraine as Nigerians still need to get visas to most European countries.

Speaking about visas, the secretary said: “There are also challenges because you cannot fly directly to Ukraine only to those countries bordering Ukraine but some of these people need visas and you need to get in touch with some of these countries. So, it is not like you can apply today and be in Ukraine tomorrow. Nigerians need visas to all the European countries.”

In an earlier update, Nigeria has already aligned with 140 other countries to demand Russian troops be withdrawn from Ukraine. This is after a United Nations General Assembly that saw the adoption of a resolution of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis on Wednesday, 2nd March.

Continue Reading
Comments

Travel

IATA Reveals 16.6% Rise in Global Flight Demand for January 2024

Published

on

iata

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has unveiled statistics indicating a surge in global flight demand for January 2024.

According to the latest report released by the IATA, passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers, rose by 16.6%.

This surge was particularly pronounced in international air travel with a 20.8% increase in demand. Simultaneously, capacity saw a 20.9% boost, resulting in a load factor of 79.7%.

Domestically, demand rose by 10.4% with a capacity increase of 4.6%, and a notable 4.2 percentage point surge in load factor, reaching 80.2%.

Willie Walsh, the Director General of IATA, expressed optimism about the industry’s resilience despite prevailing economic and geopolitical uncertainties.

He emphasized the crucial role of aviation as a catalyst for economic growth, urging governments to adopt policies that facilitate cost reduction, enhance efficiency, and advance towards the ambitious target of achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

African airlines notably observed an 18.5% surge in traffic, albeit with a slight decline in load factor to 73.3%.

The report also highlighted China’s robust domestic demand driven by Lunar New Year travel, prompting carriers to increase capacity, particularly through wide-body jet deployment.

As the aviation industry charts a course into 2024, the robust start to the year signals resilience amidst challenges, with stakeholders eyeing sustainable growth and innovation to navigate the evolving landscape of global air travel.

Continue Reading

Travel

Nigeria Excluded as UAE Unveils 5-Year Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa

Published

on

international-passport

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a five-year multiple-entry tourist visa to offer increased flexibility for travelers.

However, Nigeria finds itself excluded from this favorable arrangement due to the strained diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The new visa policy enables tourists from eligible nations to enter and exit the UAE multiple times over a five-year period, provided they spend at least 90 days in the country during each visit.

It aims to enhance tourism and facilitate business interactions, aligning with the UAE’s vision of becoming a global economic hub.

Nigeria’s exclusion from the five-year visa offering stems from a series of diplomatic disputes and travel restrictions between the two nations.

In 2022, the UAE abruptly halted the issuance of visas to Nigerian citizens, along with those from 19 other African countries, without providing detailed explanations.

This move disrupted travel and business ties between the nations, including the suspension of flights by Emirates Airline from Nigeria due to financial disputes.

While the UAE’s new visa scheme promises increased ease of travel and extended stays for tourists, Nigerians remain sidelined from these benefits.

The exclusion underscores the need for diplomatic efforts to mend relations and restore normalcy in bilateral affairs.

Nigerian officials have yet to issue a formal response to the UAE’s latest visa policy.

However, it highlights the challenges facing Nigerian travelers and the urgency for constructive dialogue to address underlying tensions and foster cooperation between the two nations.

Continue Reading

Travel

Nigeria Faces Passport Scarcity as Booklets Remain Stuck in Warehouses

Published

on

international-passport

Nigeria is confronting a looming passport scarcity as thousands of passport booklets remain stranded in warehouses across the country due to a cash crunch and bureaucratic bottlenecks.

This revelation comes as service providers report outstanding debts running into billions of naira, further exacerbating the situation.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has been grappling with challenges related to the remittance of its share of revenues from passport issuance, hindering the distribution of funds necessary to clear the backlog and release the passport booklets from storage.

The Treasury Single Account (TSA), a key component of the government’s financial management system, has been inactive, complicating matters further.

The scarcity of passport booklets threatens to derail the progress made by the Ministry of Interior in clearing over 200,000 passport backlogs, a feat achieved through reforms initiated by Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior.

Despite these efforts, the current predicament risks leading to another accumulation of passport applications if not urgently addressed.

Officials of the NIS have emphasized that the Service should not bear the blame for the impending scarcity, highlighting the complexities of revenue distribution and bureaucratic procedures involved in passport issuance.

The NIS relies heavily on revenue from abroad, which accounts for 50% of the proceeds from passport issuance. Delays in accessing these funds have severely hampered the NIS’s ability to settle debts with service providers and release the passport booklets to the public.

As concerns mount over the potential passport shortage, applicants across the country are experiencing difficulties obtaining the necessary documentation, with complaints emerging from passport offices in various locations, including Lagos and Abuja.

Efforts to resolve the crisis are underway, but the lingering challenges underscore the need for swift and effective measures to ensure the timely availability of passport booklets and maintain the integrity of Nigeria’s passport issuance system.

Continue Reading
Advertisement




Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending