Tinubu’s intervention on UAE visa ban a game changer for Nigeria’s economy – Speaker Abbas

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D. has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his efforts at resolving Nigeria’s diplomatic issues with the United Arab Emirates.

The Speaker said Tinubu’s intervention during his meeting with his UAE counterpart, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, which led to the lifting of the visa ban on Nigerians, would be a positive game changer for Nigeria’s economy.

The bilateral agreements also included the resumption of the Emirate Airlines and Etihad Airlines operations in Nigeria and commitment to a more mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries.

Emirates Airlines had in 2022 suspended flights to Nigeria, in protest against Nigeria’s failure to repatriate billions of dollars in trapped funds. The UAE would later in the year impose a visa ban on Nigerians following an alleged series of clashes among suspected cult groups made up of some Nigerians in Dubai. 

President Tinubu, who only took power on May 29, 2023, met with his UAE counterpart on Monday after which the two leaders reached five major diplomatic and commercial agreements, including an immediate lifting of the ban and resumption of Nigerian operations by Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines.

While noting that President Tinubu showed leadership by intervening in the matter and getting immediate results, the Speaker said Nigerians should expect more people-oriented socio-political and economic policies and programmes from the current administration.

Speaker Abbas noted that addressing the conflicts between Nigeria and the UAE would not only strengthen the long bilateral relations between the two countries but also have huge economic benefits for Nigerians and citizens of the UAE.

The Speaker assured Nigerians that the 10th National Assembly, especially the House of Representatives under his leadership, would provide legislative interventions that would reposition Nigeria in the comity of nations and attract prosperity to the country.

He commended President Tinubu for his leadership in just a little over 100 days in office, saying the president has demonstrated that he would take Nigeria to enviable heights.