Dubai’s Emirates will suspend flights to Nigeria from next month over an inability to repatriate funds from Africa’s most populous nation, the airline said on Thursday.
The decision highlights the difficulties faced by international carriers that fly to Nigeria, which is one of the biggest markets in Africa for several of them.
The country has restricted access to foreign currency for imports and for investors seeking to repatriate their profits due to a shortage of dollars. Nigeria gets about 90% of its foreign exchange from oil but is struggling to produce due to pipeline theft and years of under-investment.