Emirates Airlines resumes flight operations to Nigeria after a two-year hiatus

A flight operated by Emirates Airline, the flagship airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), landed at Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday afternoon to mark the resumption of flight operations between the two countries.

Flight EK 783, which traveled for more than eight hours, arrived in the country at around 4pm, almost two years after the airline ceased operations in Nigeria.

Senior First Officer at Emirates Airline, Mohammed Madugu, announced the arrival of the flight with his X handle.

He wrote: “A very special day for me today, I had the honor of operating our maiden return flight to Lagos, Nigeria, Lagos Airport.

“Today I will fly the flag of the Emirates and Nigeria very high! Thank you, Emirates.

“Today’s flight time was a little over 8 hours,” he wrote.

Emirates Airlines suspended flight operations to Nigeria in November 2022 due to its inability to repatriate $85 million in revenue trapped in the country.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on April 8 said he had received a letter from the airline confirming its readiness to resume flights to Nigeria.

Nigeria and the UAE on September 27 agreed on reciprocal rights ahead of the resumption of Emirates Airlines flight operations to Nigeria.

Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, Keyamo said the discussion reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to a balanced and forward-looking partnership with the UAE.

“We are pleased to have secured reciprocal operational rights for the Nigerian airline, which will not only deepen our bilateral relations but also strengthen the global competitiveness of the Nigerian aviation industry,” he said.

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