Emirates has announced the suspension of flights operations to Nigeria indefinitely.

The Dubai-based airline said it took the action in response to a restriction by the Nigerian government limiting its flights to the country to just once a week.

The government on Thursday limited the carrier’s daily flights to Abuja to a single run a week and denied approval for the airline’s winter schedule.

The director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Musa Nuhu, said the government took that step after authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) denied Nigeria’s only carrier to Dubai, Air peace, the three frequencies it requested.

“With the recently imposed directive limiting Emirates to operate one flight per week to Nigeria via Abuja, Emirates will be suspending its flights between Nigeria and Dubai from 13 December 2021, until the UAE and Nigerian authorities work on a solution to the ongoing issue,” Emirate announced Friday night on its website.

It added: “The last flights to operate on 12 December 2021are EK 783/784 to/from Lagos and EK 785/786 to/from Abuja.

“Customers holding tickets with the final destinations Lagos and Abuja will not be accepted at the point of origin.

“Affected customers do not need to call us immediately for rebooking. Customers can simply hold on to their Emirates ticket and when flights resume, get in touch with their travel agent or booking office to make new travel plans.

“Emirates regrets any inconvenience caused.