Emirates to cut flights to Lagos over trapped $85m revenue

Emirates Airlines has announced that it will cut its flight operations to Nigeria due to its inability to repatriate about $85 million trapped in the country.

The airline said this in a letter addressed to the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, dated July 22, 2020, and signed by Sheik Majid Al Mualla, Emirates airline’s divisional senior vice-president (DSVP), international affairs.

The reduction in its operations in Nigeria, according to Emirates, will take effect from August 15, 2022.

It said the flights would be reduced from 11 per week to seven per week at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).

It stated, “We have had no choice but to take this action, to mitigate the continued losses Emirates is experiencing as a result of funds being blocked in Nigeria.

“As of July 2022, Emirates has $85 million of funds awaiting repatriation from Nigeria. This figure has been rising by more than $10 million every month, as the ongoing operational costs of our 11 weekly flights to Lagos and 5 to Abuja continue to accumulate.”

Emirates also said the money was urgently needed to meet its operational costs and maintain the commercial viability of its services to Nigeria.

Part of the statement read, “We simply cannot continue to operate at the current level in the face of mounting losses, especially in the challenging post-COVID-19 climate.

“Emirates did try to stem the losses by proposing to pay for fuel in Nigeria in Naira, which would have at least reduced one element of our ongoing costs, however, this request was denied by the supplier.

“This means that not only are Emirates’ revenues accumulating, we also have to send hard currency into Nigeria to sustain our own operation. “Meanwhile, our revenues are out of reach, and not even earning credit interest.

“Your Excellency, this is not a decision we have taken lightly. Indeed, we have made every effort to work with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to find a solution to this issue. Our Senior Vice-President met with the Deputy Governor of the CBN in May and followed up on the meeting by letter to the Governor himself the following month, however no positive response was received.

“Meetings were also held with Emirates’ own bank in Nigeria and in collaboration with IATA to discuss improving FX allocation, but with limited success. Despite our considerable efforts, the situation continues to deteriorate. We are now in the unfortunate position of having to cut flights, to mitigate against further losses going forward.”

It also said, “We are confident that your valuable involvement would make a real difference in improving this very difficult situation. Should there be any positive development in the coming days, we will, of course, re-evaluate this decision,” it said.