By Emmanuel Nduka
On Thursday, May 16, 2024, Emirates Airlines announced that it will resume flight services to Nigeria from October 1, 2024, after over a year that the largest carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the entire Middle East suspended operations in the country over difficulties encountered in repatriating trapped funds. As at the time of taking this decision, the carrier had up to $35million of ticket sale revenue trapped in Africa’s largest economy, according to former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika.
While the airline kept mum on the official amount it had stashed in Nigeria at the time, the Nigerian Government blamed “severe dollar shortage” for the trapped funds.
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo who recently met with Qatar’s Minister of Transport, Jassim Ahmed Al-Sulaiti and Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics, Saleh Al-Jasser, on the sidelines in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the Future Aviation Forum (FAF), argued that his boss – President Bola Tinubu is “focused on fostering healthy relationships with major partners around the world for the ultimate benefits of Nigerians” with the return of Emirates flights.
Heritage Times HT reports that rather than address the issues, the minister chose to attack concerned Nigerians and opposition figures.
“Hypocrisy has never been this audacious! Rather than craftily resorting to the card of false nationalism in pursuit of cheap political points, you should have told Nigerians the economic disadvantages Nigeria stand to suffer, if any. I will advise your PDP to work harder to regain power in 2027 and maybe resume your hostilities with the UAE authorities thereafter,” he told former Aviation Minister Osita Chidoka on X, formerly Twitter.
Chidoka who was a cabinet member in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, had in a statement on Wednesday raised vital issues, among which was a demand for Emirates Airlines to apologize to Nigerians for its “blatant attack” on their dignity, and a “vile display of aggression and dehumanization”.
The former minister urged Nigerians to stand against the return of the Arab carrier to Nigerian skies. This is “a sad reminder of the deepening lack of national pride and the growing irrelevance of Nigeria in the World,” he said.
“The audacity of Emirates Airlines to even consider returning to Nigeria reeks of contempt and disdain towards our nation. The actions of the government of UAE and their airline, Emirates, from the unwarranted visa ban on all Nigerians to the suspension of flights, have been nothing short of a blatant attack on the dignity of Nigerians.
“During my time as Aviation Minister, Emirates Airlines enjoyed an unprecedented two slots to Lagos and one slot to Abuja granted by my predecessor and sustained over the years. This gesture showed Nigeria’s desire to forge close relationships and build regional alliances in the Gulf.
“Yet, when Nigeria faced economic challenges, Emirates shamelessly abandoned us while other airlines stood by us. Emirates Airlines, arguably the wealthiest airline in the world, was the only airline that suspended operations.
“All the African and European Airlines, equally owed by the Nigerian government, continued operating and weathered the storm with us as a people—a remarkable show of solidarity and a vote of confidence on a market they had enjoyed for decades.
“Nigerians must say no to the unjustified stigmatization and degradation of Nigerians, almost akin to the ghettos of 20th-century Europe. A national visa ban suggests a desire to humiliate and cast a slur on a people as a group.
“The behaviour of the UAE government and their Airline is an unprovoked attack, and Nigeria should insist on a wholesome redress. As we speak, there is no word yet on the visa ban and no apology to Nigerians.
“The Nigerian government must not allow Emirates Airlines to waltz back into our skies without being held accountable for their disrespectful and demeaning conduct. We demand a thorough investigation and restitution before even considering their return.
“Respect for our nation and people is non-negotiable and an irreducible minimum. We will not allow our pride to be trampled upon by arrogant corporations or foreign governments. This administration must reaffirm our priceless sovereignty at all times,” he wrote on X
Despite Raking Huge Profits
Heritage Times HT reports that Nigerians are angry that the return of Emirates Airlines will not solve the country’s mounting challenges in its Aviation industry.
In the Principle of Reciprocity, Emirates Airlines has been grossly unfair to Nigeria. In 2021, it granted Air Peace, Nigeria’s only carrier that flies into Dubai, 7 slots weekly, while it conducted 21 flights into Nigeria weekly.
The Emirates Group in its 2023-24 Annual Report, disclosed that it hit a new record profit, revenue and cash balance levels as it expanded its global operations.
For the financial year that ended March 31, 2024, it posted a record profit of $5.1billion (up by 71% compared to last year’s $3.0billion). Its revenue grew by 15% to $37.4billion, while its cash balance stood at $12.8billion, the highest ever reported.
Before suspending flight operations to Nigeria in October 2022, Emirates Airlines operated 438 flights to Nigeria alone in the same year.
UAE Visa Ban On Nigerians Lingers
BusinessDay reported that Travel Experts close to Emirates Airlines disclosed that the carrier would operate flights to Nigeria in line with the October 1, 2024 recommencement, whether or not the visa ban on Nigerians is totally lifted.
For over 18 months and counting, the Nigerian Government and Emirati authorities have battled several diplomatic rows. While Nigerians with work, medical and student visas can still travel to Dubai, those with tourist visas are banned.
In March this year, Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga misled Nigerians with an unsubstantiated announcement that the UAE visa ban had been lifted, but up till date, it stands.
