The United Arab Emirate would lift its 5-month long ban on flights from Nigeria this August, according to an official statement on the Emirates website.

Emirates announced on its website that the UAE authorities have announced that effective 5 August 2021, eligible travellers from Nigeria and 10 other countries will be allowed to travel to/through the UAE.

The countries include India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Vietnam, South Africa, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Nepal.

“We will publish details of the latest protocols and requirements on our travel requirements page, as soon as these are available,” Emirate’s short notice read.

Since March this year, scheduled flights between Nigeria and the UAE was stopped following diplomatic disputes over Covid-19 protocols and the rise in Covid-19 cases.

According to reports, the Nigerian government had stipulated negative PCR test as a requirement for travellers to Dubai, but the UAE further imposed rapid antigen test as another condition for visitors to Dubai; a development the Nigerian government rejected and on the basis, banned the UAE flag carrier, Emirates, from coming to Nigeria. The ban was later lifted but on instruction by the UAE government, Emirates suspended flights to and from Nigeria.

Those eligible to travel to the UAE might now include those with valid residency permits who have received full vaccination doses in the UAE and 14 days have passed since receiving the second dose and who have vaccination certificates approved by the official authorities in the country.