Coronavirus: Nigeria set to resume int'l flights

By Felix Tih

ANKARA (AA) – Nigerian authorities announced the resumption of international flights after more than four-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic that has infected nearly 49,500 people in the West African country.

Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika said late Monday that the international flights will resume on Aug. 29, “beginning with Lagos and Abuja as we did with the domestic flight resumption.”

Sirika said international flight passengers must take a COVID-19 test wherever they are coming from very close to departure dates.

“A portal will also be opened for passengers to pay for another COVID-19 test to be done eight days after arrival in Nigeria,” he added.

“They will also fill in health questionnaires online, and hand them in at the point of entry, instead of filling the forms on the aircraft or on arrival,” Sirika said.

He said coronavirus preventive measures such as physical distancing, wearing of nose masks, washing of hands, and temperature checks will remain in place.

With a population of nearly 200 million, Nigeria has confirmed 49,485 coronavirus cases, with 977 deaths and 36,834 recoveries, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The NCDC said a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, continues to coordinate the national response activities.

Nigeria resumed domestic flight operations in early July.

The flights resumed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in the capital Abuja and Murtala Muhammed Domestic Terminal in the commercial city of Lagos.