Travel/Tourism
Dubai Airport Terminal 1 to Reopen
There has been an increasing number of countries that have eased up on the restrictions of Indian nationals for non-essential travels.
As a result of a decline in the COVID-19 cases, there has been an increase in demand for travel services. Due to such demands, Dubai’s airport operators said that they will reopen Dubai airport terminal 1.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the terminal had been closed for 15 months. But now airlines have started operating Flights to Dubai from Mumbai and other places.
Altogether over 40 international airlines will shift their operations to terminal 1 from terminals 2 and 3, the airport’s main facility said. The terminal resumed operation on June 24 and had remained closed since March 25, 2020.
Due to the expanding vaccinations, the travellers have queries for travel to various international destinations including United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, Russia, and the Maldives.
Several countries have welcomed back Indian travellers subject to other conditions and vaccination, the industry executives said.
Other destinations that have allowed non-essential travel provided the travellers are vaccinated include Iceland, Turkey, Ukraine, Germany, Lebanon, South Africa, and Croatia. The National Emergency and Crisis Management Authority (NECMA) said that the UAE had banned transit passengers from other countries. These included Nigeria, Pakistan, India, and others.
However, now that the ban has been lifted most of the flights have started operating. But certain restrictions need to be followed by anyone who is travelling to Dubai.
The restrictions for travelling to Dubai
Although travel operations have begun, there are still relaxed restrictions that the Dubai government has laid out while travelling from South Africa, Nigeria, and India. When it comes to travellers from India, only passengers having a valid residence visa and having received both doses of UAE-approved vaccines are allowed to travel. The vaccines that are approved by the UAE government are Oxford-AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, Pfizer- BioNTech, and Sinopharm.
RT-PCR Requirements for travelling to Dubai
The passengers that are eligible for travel to Dubai need to furnish a negative test certificate of the RT-PCR test that is taken 48 hours before departure. However, UAE nationals are an exception to this requirement. Particularly, only QR- coded test certificates of PCR are accepted from passengers.
Is the requirement the same for South Africa and Nigeria?
The Dubai government has only allowed those travellers with valid residence visas from India in addition to their diplomats and nationals. In the case of South Africa and Nigeria non- residence passengers can also travel to Dubai subject to RT-PCR conditions and vaccination.
The transit ban was also imposed on countries like Uganda, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. However, the ban has been lifted for those who have been vaccinated and those passengers with valid residencies. But the travellers from these countries need to apply for an online permit before travelling. They also have to furnish a negative RT-PCR test certificate that has been taken 48 hours before departure.
The opening of Terminal 1 of Dubai airport has given people a sign that the travel and aviation sector is prepared to bounce back. The airport officials expect a large number of travellers to come to the city.
The airport also posted various tweets on Twitter like ‘Terminal 1 is back’ to let travellers know that Dubai is now ready for inbound tourists to head to UAE for holidays keeping in mind the safety and restrictions that come along with it.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced plans to introduce V-Pass, a biometric facial recognition system designed to make passenger processing faster, safer and more seamless across its domestic airports.
According to FAAN, the new technology will allow passengers to verify their identities through facial recognition after a one-time enrolment, reducing reliance on physical identification documents and shortening queues through automated electronic gates.
The authority said the system is expected to enhance airport security while improving the overall travel experience for domestic passengers.
FAAN added that V-Pass has been developed with data privacy at its core and is compliant with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
The agency described the initiative as part of its commitment to delivering smarter, technology-driven airport services and said nationwide sensitisation and rollout updates would be announced in due course.
Airports in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates already deploy facial recognition technology for processes such as check-in, security screening, immigration and boarding, so the move also aligns Nigeria’s aviation sector with a growing global trend towards contactless travel.
These systems have been adopted to improve operational efficiency, strengthen security and enhance the overall passenger experience.
For FAAN, the deployment of V-Pass forms part of its broader digital transformation agenda aimed at modernising airport operations and accommodating rising passenger traffic.
Experts say that beyond improving convenience, the authority expects the biometric platform to strengthen identity verification, reduce the risk of impersonation and support more efficient airport security, while maintaining compliance with data protection.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
About 14.12 per cent stake in Ikeja Hotel Plc has been acquired by Honeywell Group Limited, a notice on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited has revealed.
Honeywell Group took up the part of the hospitality firm through one of its affiliates known as HGL Real Estate Limited.
Ikeja Hotel, in the disclosure filed with the NGX on July 2, 2026, said the stake comprised 305,323,525 units of its equities.
“Ikeja Hotel hereby notifies the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the general public that it has received notification from HGL Real Estate Limited, an affiliate of Honeywell Group Limited, that it has acquired 305,323,525 units of Ikeja Hotel Plc’s shares, representing 14.12 per cent shareholding in the company,” the notice stated.
Ikeja Hotel is one of Nigeria’s leading hospitality investment and hotel management companies with premium hospitality assets.
It operates two leading hospitality organisations in Lagos, the Sheraton Lagos Hotel and Balmoral Convention Centre.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
About 10 hospitality establishments, including hotels and restaurants, were sealed on Wednesday by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
The affected businesses are located in different locations in the Alimosho Local Government Area of the metropolis, Business Post learned from a statement from the agency.
It was stated that they were sealed by LASEPA for persistent violations of environmental regulations despite repeated warnings, abatement notices, and several opportunities to comply with the agency’s directives.
According to the notice, the enforcement exercise was carried out in line with the directives of the Lagos State government to ensure strict compliance with environmental laws and to safeguard public health.
The affected facilities were said to have breached various environmental regulations, including noise pollution, air pollution, unlawful discharge of untreated effluent, obstruction of official duties, among others.
LASEPA closed the premises of Granduer Meridian at Obasa Akiniyi Street, Oluwaga, Ipaja for non-compliance with the agency’s directives; Lasola (Spazio Bar), located on Ipaja Road, Fatolu Bus Stop, Ipaja, was sealed for noise pollution and non-compliance with directives; Millennium Restaurant, located at Gate Bus Stop, Ipaja, Ayobo, was shut down for non-compliance with directives; O2 Exquisite Suites & Tower on Jimoh Akinremi Street, Jimoh Bus Stop, Akowonjo, was sealed for non-compliance with directives; and Chirozz Hotel & Suites, located on Samuel Street, Akowonjo, by Vulcanizer Bus Stop, Egbeda, was closed for noise pollution and non-compliance with directives.
In addition, House 7 Hotel, located at Remi Akande Street, Egbeda, was sealed for non-compliance with LASEPA’s directives; House 48 on Isiba Oluwo Street, Egbeda, was sealed for non-compliance with directives; Exclusive Hotel, located at Ishan Kimishe, Akesan Bus Stop, was shut down by non-compliance with directives; Sabola Ventures Limited, Iocated at Km 11, LASU–Isheri Road, Igando, was shut down for operating without evidence of an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), and discharging untreated effluent into public drains; and City Int’l Motel, located at Chief Olu-Adegbite Street, off Oladun Street, Council Bus Stop, Idimu, was sealed for non-compliance with directives.
