Emirates Airlines is on track to resume its operations in Nigeria by June 2024.
The news was confirmed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, during an interview on Arise Television on Monday.
Keyamo revealed that the Emirates’ return to Nigeria follows extensive negotiations and resolution of longstanding issues between the Nigerian government and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
He highlighted the pivotal role played by President Bola Tinubu in facilitating diplomatic efforts to mend relations between the two countries.
“The resumption of Emirates flights is almost happening. I just received a letter from Emirates confirming their readiness to come back,” stated Keyamo during the interview.
He further explained that Emirates Airlines had completed all necessary processes and was now awaiting the finalization of operational details before announcing the exact date for its first flight back to Nigeria.
The minister expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts that led to this breakthrough, emphasizing President Tinubu’s proactive engagement in resolving the bilateral issues.
“Mr. President was the showman here. He made my job easy because he went there and had a diplomatic shuttle to resolve all the issues,” Keyamo noted.
The suspension of Emirates’ flight operations to Nigeria in October 2022 had left travelers and businesses grappling with limited connectivity options.
The airline attributed the halt to challenges in repatriating funds held in Nigeria, amounting to $85 billion.
However, following sustained diplomatic engagements and concerted efforts by both nations, the impasse has been successfully resolved, paving the way for Emirates’ return.
Keyamo’s announcement comes after a series of discussions with Emirates representatives, indicating significant progress toward the airline’s comeback.