By Olamilekan Okeowo
On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, an Emirates, the flag carrier of United Arab Emirates (UAE) aircraft touched down at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
The aircraft landed in MMIA at 3:32 pm signalling the resumption of flight operations between Nigeria and UAE.
The flight EK 783, which travelled for over 8 hours landed almost two years after the suspension of operation by the airline.
Mohammed Madugu, Senior First Officer at Emirates, took to his X platform to announce the arrival of the flight.
He wrote, “A very special day for me today, I have the honor of operating our inaugural return flight to Lagos, Nigeria, Lagos Airport.
“Today I’ll be flying both the Emirates and Nigerian flag very high! Thank you, Emirates.
A flight time of slightly over 8 hours today,” he wrote.
The development comes almost two years after the suspension of operation by the airline.
In November 2022, Emirates suspended flight operations to Nigeria over its inability to repatriate its $85 million revenue trapped in the country.
Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, on April 8, 2024, announced that he received a letter from the airline confirming that all the issues have been resolved and is prepared to resume flights.
On September 27, Nigeria and the UAE 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 discussions reaffirm the commitment of Nigeria to fostering a balanced and forward-looking partnership with the UAE.
“We are pleased to have secured reciprocal operational rights for Nigerian airlines, which will not only deepen our bilateral ties but also strengthen the global competitiveness of Nigeria’s aviation industry,” Keyamo said.
As Emirates returns to Nigeria, Keyamo said the country looks forward to a thriving and mutually beneficial air service relationship.
