Emirates Airlines has officially resumed flights to Nigeria, with Flight EK-783 landing at Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on Tuesday, marking its first return after a two-year suspension. The flight, which arrived at 3:32 pm, was the airline’s first landing in the country since it suspended operations due to unresolved issues, including the trapping of its funds in Nigeria.
The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, with a seating capacity of 392 passengers, arrived with many empty seats, though the exact number of passengers onboard was not disclosed. A passenger on the flight remarked, “The flight was not full at all, but the services were very good, as usual. I think this is understandable being the first flight after many years.”
Upon arrival, passengers were processed through both the new and old terminals at MMIA, with arrivals passing through the old terminal and departing travelers using the newer facility.
Emirates’ suspension two years ago stemmed from a dispute over the airline’s trapped funds, which were inaccessible due to Nigeria’s foreign exchange restrictions. The resumption of Emirates flights is viewed as a major step towards restoring international travel and trade links between Nigeria and the UAE.
The return of Emirates is expected to boost tourism and business exchanges between the two nations, with hopes that more flights will be added as demand picks up.
