Bassey, an indigene of Ikot Akpa Ekpuk Ndiya in Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, shared his ordeal in a public “Save My Soul” message posted on social media on Saturday. In the appeal, he called on key government officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar; Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Rt. Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa; Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; and his constituency representative, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Ukpong Udo, to urgently intervene.
Years of Legal Employment in UAE Oil and Gas Sector
According to Bassey, he had built a stable and legitimate career in the UAE’s oil and gas industry before the sudden visa restrictions disrupted his livelihood.
He explained that his professional journey in the UAE began in July 2015 when he secured employment with Zakum Development Company in Abu Dhabi after a competitive recruitment process. Recruited through Al Nahiya Group, he resumed work on October 15, 2015, as a Supervisor in Logistics and Materials at an artificial island operated by Zakum. His visa, accommodation, and flight tickets were fully sponsored by the company.
In 2017, he returned to Nigeria following a global oil price crash that led to workforce downsizing. Zakum Development later merged with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).
Recalled, Promoted, Then Grounded
Bassey said he was recalled to the same oilfield in August 2018 through another manpower firm, Speedy Assets International LLC, where he worked as a Materials Management Technician until 2020.
He added that in 2020, he was seconded through ADNOC Logistics and Services to Al Jaber Group, serving offshore as a Foreman in Logistics, Materials, and Warehousing until 2022.
However, his situation reportedly took a drastic turn in September 2022 after receiving a promotion offer through DULSCO, another manpower company, to work as a Supervisor of Logistics, Shipping, and Warehouse at the Central Artificial Island.
Following standard procedure, he cancelled his existing visa to enable processing of a new one. That decision, he said, marked the beginning of his ordeal.
Alleged Visa Ban on Nigerians
Bassey disclosed that by October 2022, DULSCO informed him that his visa application had been rejected multiple times.
“Later, I was told that Nigerians were no longer being issued work permits or residence visas,” he said.
Despite having no criminal record and several years of verified service with reputable companies in the UAE, Bassey stated that he has remained without a valid visa or salary since October 2022.
Family Life in Crisis
The prolonged unemployment, he said, has taken a severe toll on his family. Over 36 months of uncertainty and joblessness, Bassey claimed his life savings have been completely depleted.
“I have spent all my life savings here believing the situation would change. Today, I can no longer afford rent or feed my family. My children’s education has been disrupted, and we struggle to access medical care,” he lamented.
He further explained that all attempts to secure alternative employment have failed due to the same visa restrictions, leaving his family trapped in a cycle of hardship.
Call for Government Intervention
Appealing directly to Nigerian authorities, Bassey urged NiDCOM and other relevant agencies to step in—either by engaging UAE authorities to resolve the visa impasse or by assisting his family to safely return to Nigeria.
“I am stranded in the UAE with my family and no means of survival due to visa restrictions against Nigerians. I am pleading and seeking urgent assistance from the government to get out of this situation,” he said.
Beyond his personal case, Bassey called on the Federal Government to address what he described as a broader humanitarian crisis affecting Nigerians facing work permit and residency challenges in the UAE.
“This situation has pushed many families to the brink. I beg the government to remember us and act before lives completely collapse,” he added.