After a two-year hiatus, Emirates Airlines resumed its flights to Nigeria on Tuesday, with Nigerian-born Captain Mohammed Madugu leading the crew. This notable event saw Capt. Madugu in the cockpit as the UAE’s leading airline landed in Lagos.
Emirates had paused flights to Lagos and Abuja in September 2022 due to complications related to repatriating over $80 million in trapped funds. Alongside the flight suspension, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had implemented a visa ban on Nigerians, affecting flights between the two countries, including those operated by Air Peace and other carriers.
Resolving the impasse became a focus for Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with key efforts made by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo. After the Nigerian government settled about $900 million of the trapped airline funds and engaged in extensive discussions with Emirates, the airline confirmed it would resume flights on October 1st, aligning with Nigeria’s Independence Day.
At 3:32 pm local time on October 1st, an Emirates Boeing 737-300ER touched down at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, marking the airline’s return. Capt. Mohammed Madugu, a proud Nigerian, piloted the flight with his team.
In a video shared on his social media page, Capt. Madugu expressed pride in the landing, stating, “Landed off an RNAV approach today as the ILS was on test. Watching this video, you’ll appreciate the work the Emirates training department does on their pilots. Alhamdulillah.”
He also shared the excitement of operating the inaugural return flight to Lagos, saying, “It’s a very special day for me. I have the honor of flying both the Emirates and Nigerian flags high.”
Born on September 21, 1996, in Kano, Capt. Madugu was once Nigeria’s youngest airline captain while working with Azman Airline. He attended several prestigious schools, including Corona School in Apapa and the Nigerian Turkish International College, before pursuing his pilot training abroad.
