The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa-Musawa, has clarified that the Nigerian government has not received any official communication from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) regarding a reported change in visa policy affecting Nigerian citizens.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Minister assured that visa issuance for Nigerians by the UAE is still proceeding without disruption.
Her clarification comes in response to a report published by African Travel Times on July 12, 2025, titled “A Bitter Irony: UAE’s Sanctions Undermine African Trust After Africa-Backed Win for UN Tourism Role.” The article alleged that the UAE had imposed stricter conditions on Nigerian visa applicants.
This development follows just a year after both countries resolved a two-year visa ban placed on Nigerians. However, the Minister emphasized that, as of now, no official notice has been received regarding any new restrictions.
She said, “We clarify that the Federal Government has not received any official communication regarding changes to UAE’s visa policy, and visa issuance for Nigerians is proceeding in an orderly manner.”
Musawa disassociated herself and the Ministry from the article, saying that the assertions made in it do not reflect the position of the Honourable Minister or the government of Nigeria.
She therefore urged the publisher to retract the publication.
She noted, “The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy has taken exception to an article published by African Travel Times on July 12, 2025, titled: “A Bitter Irony: UAE’s Sanctions Undermine African Trust After Africa-Backed Win for UN Tourism Role.
“The Ministry wishes to state categorically that the views and assertions made in the article do not reflect the position of the Honourable Minister, the Ministry, or the Federal Government of Nigeria. Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) enjoy a cordial and mutually beneficial relationship, particularly in tourism development and cultural cooperation.
“The Ministry dissociates itself from the article’s contents and urges the publisher to retract the publication to avoid misrepresenting Nigeria’s diplomatic position. We reaffirm our commitment to international tourism cooperation and peaceful partnerships based on trust and diplomacy.”
