Emirates has announced that it is suspending all its flights to and from Nigeria effective September 1.

In a statement by Emirates, it disclosed that it had tried every avenue to address its ongoing challenges in repatriating funds from Nigeria, and has made considerable efforts to initiate dialogue with the relevant authorities for their urgent intervention to help find a viable solution and regrettably there had been no progress. 

However, Nigeria’s aviation ministry says it is “working hard” to release trapped funds to the Emirates airline after the carrier suspended flights to Nigeria beginning from next month.

The airline said there has been “no progress” in reaching Nigerian authorities for a solution. “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,” the airline disclosed.

The airline further hinted that if there were any positive developments in the coming days regarding Emirates’ blocked funds in Nigeria, it will re-evaluate its decision. 

“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,” the airline added.