The Group Managing Director of Finchglow Holdings Limited and former President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Bankole Bernard, has attributed the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) stringent visa policies to efforts aimed at safeguarding national security and attracting high-value travelers.
Speaking to THISDAY at the weekend in Lagos, Bernard explained that although the UAE lifted its visa ban on Nigerians in July 2024, it simultaneously introduced stricter requirements that have made it more difficult for many Nigerians to obtain visas for Dubai and other Emirati cities.
He noted that the new visa regime focuses on attracting quality rather than large numbers of visitors, a shift that has reduced the number of Nigerian travelers to the UAE by about 45 to 50 percent.
According to Bernard, the new measures have not deterred wealthy Nigerians, who now dominate the first and business-class cabins on Emirates Airlines flights to the UAE. “Any airline operating long-haul flights that fills its first and business-class sections is already profitable,” he said.
The stricter visa requirements, Bernard said, were a response to past security concerns, including reports in 2021 and 2022 of Nigerians involved in cult clashes in Dubai. The UAE’s new policies for Nigerian applicants include an age limit, proof of at least $10,000 (or its naira equivalent) in a bank account, a two-year work permit visa limit, higher visa fees, confirmed onward tickets, hotel bookings valid for only 48 hours, and longer visa processing times. Additional requirements involve a sponsorship letter from a qualified sponsor with a salary of AED 4,000–10,000, depending on the relationship with the applicant.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Emirates Airlines operated three daily flights to Nigeria, while Etihad Airways maintained daily service to Lagos. After over two years of diplomatic tension, resolved in part by Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, Emirates resumed operations in Nigeria on October 1, 2024. Etihad Airways, however, has yet to return.
Bernard also observed that some Nigerian travelers unable to meet the new UAE and Western visa criteria have shifted their holiday destinations to other African countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Rwanda, and Ethiopia.
“The UAE government is serious about treating governance as good business,” Bernard said. “Restricting Nigerians is more about filtering those who cannot afford it. Those with the financial capacity are still traveling to Dubai and conducting their businesses.”
He added that while the number of economy-class passengers has dropped significantly, business and first-class cabins remain consistently full. “The UAE is no longer chasing the crowd. They want quality visitors who will spend money and not be a burden on their economy,” he emphasized.
Nzubechukwu Eze.
