Explainer: UAE has not Resumed Visa Services For Nigerians

By Mustapha Lawal

On Tuesday, the 5th of March 2024, a viral announcement of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) lifting the visa ban on Nigerians circulated on media platforms. 

The claim of this ban was spread and shared with a picture of an unsigned public announcement document dated February 26th 2024 and titled “Joint announcement by the Governments of Nigeria and the UAE: Resumption of Visa Services for Nigerians Traveling to the UAE on March 4, 2024.

The announcement, which originated from the official X handle of the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information, Bayo Onanuga was later deleted after many platforms had already reported it, adding to the widespread popularity of the announcement.

The viral document posted by Bayo Onanuga with the caption “UAE resumes Visa Services for Nigerians, the fruit of President Bola Tinubu’s diplomacy” was shared at around 3:20 pm and has gained over 2k views, 112k likes, and 49 reports before it was deleted.  It noted that the UAE had declared the resumption of visa services for Nigerian citizens intending to visit the country starting March 4, 2024.

However, hours later, The Nigerian Presidency denied the claim that the United Arab Emirates had lifted its visa ban on Nigerians. The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this, also via his X handle on the same day.

“UAE has not resumed visa issuance to Nigerians. The document in circulation is not authorised either by the Nigerian government or the UAE,” he tweeted at around 6:19 pm, 3 hours later following his earlier tweet announcing the lift.

The denial followed the scepticism reported by VoiceAirMedia when they contacted Tunde Moshood, SA Media and Communications to Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, who said the statement looked like a draft and he couldn’t speak to it.

Moshood said, “This looks like a draft. I can’t speak to this, maybe you should confirm from Foreign Affairs. We are not in the best position to confirm this. What I know is that the UAE High Commissioner to Nigeria was with the Minister last week and the issue is about to be resolved.”

Background

In October 2022, the UAE banned citizens from approximately 20 African nations from entering its borders as per measures implemented as part of the UAE’s efforts to address immigration-related challenges.

Among the affected countries are Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Cameroon, Liberia, Burundi, Republic of Guinea, Gambia, Togo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Benin, Ivory Coast, Congo, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Comoros, and the Dominican Republic.

Following the move of the ban two years ago, the country’s authorities issued a notice to travel agents and trade partners to reject all applications.

The UAE imposed visa restrictions on Nigerians including an automatic rejection of all pending visa applications. Owing to the ban, both countries’ authorities have been in a diplomatic logjam about travel restrictions.

Dubai (UAE) is a popular destination for thousands of Nigerian tourists. It is also a haven for real estate investors from the country. Before the pandemic, Nigerians ranked among Dubai’s largest foreign real estate investors, with investments valued at nearly $2 billion, according to local media reports citing the Dubai Land Department.

Before the ban, Emirates Airlines operated two daily flights from Lagos, Nigeria, to Dubai, and one daily flight from the capital Abuja to Dubai.

News of Ban Lift, a Repeat of an Earlier Instance…

On Septemeber 11, 2023, almost a year after the ban, media rows were announcing that the ban had been lifted following a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The news posted and shared in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale was later found to be false.

The news sparked much jubilation from excited Nigerians before it was debunked by the authorities of the UAE days after. The United Arab Emirates contradicted the claims when an official from the Gulf state told CNN: “There are no changes on the Nigeria/UAE travel status so far.”

The Nigerian government had said in a statement then that Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu met with UAE leader Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi where both men finalized a historic agreement, and the agreement paved the way for the lifting of the visa ban, including the immediate resumption of flights between both countries.

“Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay,” a statement by Nigeria’s presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said.

However, a statement by the UAE government later afterwards said both leaders had during the meeting, “explored opportunities for further bilateral collaboration” with the hope of “reinforcing ties between the UAE and Nigeria,” but did not mention lifting the visa ban or flights restarting.

In a follow-up statement, Nigerian government spokesman Ngelale said officials from both countries needed more time to finalize agreement details, contradicting his earlier statement.

“Given the agreement struck between the two Heads of State, there is a need to allow cabinet officials from both sides to work out the finer details and finalize the cross-sectoral agreements,” he said, adding that “Everyone can now allow the process to work itself out organically, devoid of speculation.”

Nigerians React…

In the wake of the announcements regarding the ban lift and its subsequent debunking, many Nigerians have voiced their concerns and expressed a range of emotions.  This turn of events has left many feeling confused, frustrated, and uncertain about the news.

Initially, there was a sense of optimism and anticipation when the news of the ban lift was first announced.  Nigerians were looking forward to the potential benefits and opportunities that the ban lift might bring.  However, with the sudden reversal and debunking of the announcement, these hopes were quickly dashed, leaving many feeling disappointed and disheartened.

The government’s handling of the situation has also drawn criticism, with some accusing it of being disorganized and lacking transparency.  The sudden change in stance without clear explanations has led to distrust and scepticism among the population, further fueling the public’s concerns. An X user with the handle @hamoye4real expressed that punishment should be meted out to whoever put the information out, to curb this form of misinformation.

Another user with the handle @United4Change berated the untimeliness of the news complaining that a lot of Nigerian citizens’ data have already been mined due to the fake announcement. The user lamented that a substantial quantity of Nigerian citizens’ data had already fallen prey to the clutches of unauthorized entities, a direct consequence of the untimely and false announcement. “Part of the responsibility of your role is to protect us, he added. While requesting that a full investigation be carried out and measures be taken to curtail the harm.

The incident served as a stark reminder of the profound impact that misinformation can have in the digital age. It underscored the crucial role that public officeholders, journalists and news organizations play in shaping public perception and the importance of adhering to the highest ethical standards in their reporting. Moreover, FactCheckAfrica has stressed the urgent need for concrete measures to be implemented, aimed at mitigating the potential harm caused by the dissemination of false information.

Conclusion

The recent episode surrounding the purported lifting of the UAE visa ban on Nigerians, and subsequent debunking by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information, raises concerns about the dissemination of accurate information within the administration.

Onanuga’s involvement in both the initial proclamation and its eventual debunking echoes a concerning trend seen in the September 2023 incident. The earlier announcement of the ban lift, followed by its contradiction from UAE authorities, had sparked a wave of confusion and optimism, much like the recent occurrence.

The repetition of such incidents involving a key figure within the administration underscores the need for a robust and reliable communication strategy.

It not only brings into question the coordination within the government’s information channels but also highlights the potential consequences of misinformation on public sentiment and trust.

As the digital age intensifies the impact of such incidents, there is a pressing need for transparency, accountability, and a proactive approach to avoid the recurrence of misinformation that can have far-reaching implications. The role of public officeholders in ensuring accurate and timely information cannot be overstated, and lessons must be learned from these episodes to prevent history from repeating itself.