Monday December 22, 2025
www.thenewsdesk.ng
By Dennis UDOMA
Uyo
A Nigerian oil worker, Mr. Michael Bassey, has made a desperate appeal to the Nigerian government, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), and lawmakers, over the severe visa and work permit restrictions that have left him and his family stranded and financially drained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Bassey, an indigene of Ikot Akpa Ekpuk Ndiya in Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, reached out on social media with a “Save My Soul” message on Saturday, December 20, 2025, urgently requesting that government officials intervene in his plight.
In his appeal, Bassey detailed how he has been unable to secure a valid visa or work permit for over three years, despite a long-standing career in the UAE’s oil and gas industry.
He explained that after working successfully for years in Abu Dhabi, he was faced with a sudden halt to his career and income following the implementation of visa restrictions on Nigerians in the country.
“My journey began in 2015 when I secured a job with Zakum Development Company in Abu Dhabi. I worked there for several years until a global oil price crash and downsizing forced me to return to Nigeria in 2017.
“I was recalled in 2018 and continued my career in the UAE, eventually working for ADNOC Logistics and Services until 2022,” Bassey shared”, he stated.
However, trouble began in September 2022, when he was offered a promotion by a new company, DULSCO, only to have his visa application repeatedly rejected.
Despite his clean record and proven work history in the UAE, Bassey was informed that Nigerians were no longer being issued work permits or residence visas.
“For over 36 months, I have been without a job, without a visa, and without income. I can’t pay rent, feed my family, or send my children to school. My savings have run out, and I am struggling to survive,” Bassey lamented.
With his family facing mounting hardships, Bassey urgently appealed to the Nigerian government for assistance.
He is calling for either a resolution of the visa crisis or help with returning to Nigeria.
Bassey also urged the Nigerian authorities to address the broader issue of work permit restrictions that have affected numerous Nigerians in the UAE.
“This is no longer just my personal problem, it is a humanitarian crisis for many Nigerian families in the UAE. We need urgent intervention,” Bassey emphasized.
As Bassey’s family faces an uncertain future in the UAE, the Nigerian government is being urged to take swift action to resolve the visa impasse and alleviate the suffering of affected Nigerians working in the UAE.