ABUJA, Nigeria

Nigeria announced Saturday the lifting of a flight ban on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Emirates Airlines

The decision to remove the ban came after talks between the governments of the two countries, Nigerian Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika said in a statement.

He said the ban was unconditional and noted the reversal would be effective Saturday.

Sirika said the UAE lifted all travel restrictions imposed on Nigerian citizens.

Nigeria put into effect the flight ban on Emirates Airlines on grounds that it admitted passengers without a PCR test in March.

The UAE then implemented travel restrictions on passengers entering from Nigeria.

*Writing by Dilan Pamuk in Ankara