Emirates Airlines suspends operations to Nigeria

Emirates Airlines has announced the suspension of its flight operations to Nigeria, with effect from September 1, 2022.

The Airline made this known in a statement released on Thursday, August 18, citing the inability to repatriate its earnings in foreign exchange from Nigeria.

The management of flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stated that not less than $600 million of over 20 foreign airlines has been blocked in Nigeria since the beginning of the year, stating that out of these funds it had about $85million.

The Airlines however called on the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, to support the repatriation of its revenue.

The statement read in part that, “Therefore, Emirates has taken the difficult decision to suspend all flights to and from Nigeria, effective 1 September 2022, to limit further losses and impact on our operational costs that continue to accumulate in the market.

“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our customers, however, the circumstances are beyond our control at this stage. We will be working to help impacted customers make alternative travel arrangements wherever possible.

“Should there be any positive developments in the coming days regarding Emirates’ blocked funds in Nigeria, we remain keen to serve Nigeria, and our operations provide much-needed connectivity for Nigerian travellers, providing access to trade and tourism opportunities to Dubai, and to our broader network of over 130 destinations.”