Emirates Airlines Resumes Operations in Nigeria with First Flight Since 2022
Emirates Airlines has resumed flights to Nigeria, with its first flight since 2022, Flight EK 783, landing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) at 3:32 PM on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. The airline had previously suspended operations due to challenges in repatriating trapped funds in Nigeria.
The resumption of flights follows an agreement between Nigeria and the UAE, resolving the two-year hiatus. Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, confirmed the return via social media, stating that he, along with Emirates executives and UAE officials, was onboard the inaugural flight to Lagos.
Keyamo also revealed that discussions had taken place to secure reciprocal flight rights for Nigerian airlines to operate in the UAE. A brief ceremony in Lagos will mark the return of Emirates to Nigeria and the reintroduction of Nigerian airlines to UAE routes.
Emirates suspended its operations to Nigeria in October 2022, despite efforts from the Central Bank of Nigeria to address the foreign exchange issues. In 2023, during a diplomatic visit to the UAE, President Bola Tinubu reached an agreement with UAE authorities to resume flights and lift visa restrictions on Nigerians. By May 2024, Emirates confirmed the resumption date for October 1, 2024, following further negotiations between the two nations.
