COVID-19: Nigeria to end all evacuation flights Aug. 25

Ahead of resumption of international flights into and out of Nigeria beginning on August 29, the Federal Government on Monday announced that all evacuation flights which were introduced in the country in the wake of the ban on international flights would end on August 25.

Nigeria had shut its airports to both local and international flights operations in March as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country after the index case, an Italian, was reported late February.

However, essential flights, including those evacuating citizens of other countries resident in Nigeria who wanted to return to their countries or bringing back Nigerians citizens from other countries of the world in the wake of the pandemic, were allowed to operate.

While domestic flights resumed in Nigeria July 8, there have been speculations as to exactly when the international airspace would be opened to all international flights. In the interim, many Nigerians who desperately needed to travel had resorted to routing through Cotonou, Benin Republic.

But the speculations ended on Monday when Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, speaking at the briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Abuja, said international flights would resume on August 29.

Sirika said Nigeria’s international airports have reached advanced stages of preparedness for the resumption of international flight operations.

Like it was done during the resumption of domestic flights across the country, the international flights would commence with the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

On the protocol, Sirika said all intending travellers must take a Covid-19 test eight days before their set date for departure, fill an online health questionnaire and pay online for another Covid-19 test to be carried out eight days after arrival into the country.

“Very close to your departure date, you will take a Covid-19 test and fill in the online health questionaire to be delivered at point of entry. There will also be a portal where you pay for the test to be carried out eight days after your arrival,” he said.

Sirika said emphasis would be placed on the observation of all the safety and technical guidelines as prescribed by global and health authorities.