The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy has distanced itself from claims made in a July 12, 2025 article published by African Travel Times, titled “A Bitter Irony: UAE’s Sanctions Undermine African Trust After Africa-Backed Win for UN Tourism Role.”

In a press statement signed by the Minister, Hannatu Musa Musawa, the Ministry emphasized that the views expressed in the article do not represent the position of the Minister, the Ministry, or the Federal Government of Nigeria.

According to the statement, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) maintain a cordial and mutually beneficial relationship, especially in the areas of tourism development and cultural cooperation.

The Ministry further clarified that it has not received any official communication indicating a change in UAE’s visa policy, and that visa issuance for Nigerians continues in an orderly manner.

“The Ministry dissociates itself from the contents of the article and calls on the publisher to retract the publication to prevent the misrepresentation of Nigeria’s diplomatic stance,” the statement read.

It reaffirmed the government’s commitment to international tourism collaboration and peaceful diplomatic relations built on mutual trust and cooperation.