Nigerian can now travel directly to Dubai as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday withdrew the rapid antigen test requirement it had insisted passengers from Nigeria travelling to the Arab country must take four hours before boarding their flights.
Consequently, Emirates Airlines will resume flights to Nigeria from June 23, five months after the UAE banned outbound flights from its Abuja and Lagos destinations.
The UAE antigen test requirement was against Nigeria’s policy that passengers travelling out of the country should conduct Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test 72 hours before their flight.
However, it issued a statement yesterday conceding that Nigerian passengers that wished to travel to Dubai “must have received a negative test result for PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure.”
The statement posted on Instagram by the Dubai media office also said passengers travelling from Nigeria should present a negative PCR test certificate with a QR Code from labs approved by the Nigerian government. It stated that all passengers must undergo a PCR test on arrival in Dubai, adding, “Transit passengers should comply with entry protocol of final destination.”
The media office said the new regulation was part of measures aimed at easing inbound travel restrictions by Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management. The committee introduced new entry protocols for passengers effective June 23.
Besides the new condition for Nigerian travellers, UAE has new regulations for passengers travelling from South Africa and India to Dubai.
For South Africa, the new rules stipulate that passengers should have received two doses of a vaccine approved by UAE authorities.
“Passengers must present a negative test result for a PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure; UAE citizens are exempted. All passengers must undergo a PCR test on arrival at Dubai airport. Transit passengers should comply with entry protocols of final destination,” the statement said.
For travellers from India, UAE said passengers should have received two doses of a vaccine approved by UAE authorities and passengers must have received a negative test result for PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure, in addition to the other conditions given to Nigeria and South Africa.
Confirming the withdrawal of the antigen test, Emirates Airlines issued a statement signed by its management, which said, “Emirates welcomes the latest protocols and measures announced by Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management to allow the safe resumption of passenger travel from South Africa, Nigeria and India to Dubai. We look forward to facilitating travel from these countries and supporting various travellers’ categories.
“We will resume carrying passengers from South Africa, Nigeria and India in accordance with these protocols from 23rd June. We thank the Supreme Committee for their continuous efforts in monitoring the development of the situation and announcing the appropriate guidelines and protocols to protect the community and safeguard travel sector.”
With ThisDay report
