Chinelo Obogo
The Minister of Aviation, Captain Hadi Sirika, yesterday said that international flights into and out of Nigeria would resume on Saturday, August 29. Sirika who made the announcement on his official Twitter handle, said flights will begin with the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
“Glad to announce the resumption of international flights from August 29, 2020. Beginning with Lagos and Abuja as we did with the domestic flight resumption. Protocols and procedures will be announced in due course. We thank you for your patience,” Sirika said.
Nigeria had placed travel restrictions on international flights into the country on March 21, after the country’s coronavirus cases doubled from 12-22. The airports closure was meant to last one month but as cases grew globally, the resumption date was postponed.
The Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja and Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos were the first to be shut as measures to stem the spread of COVID-19, the country’s civil aviation regulator, NCAA, announced in a statement while Enugu, Kano and Port Harcourt were shut afterwards.
The Federal Government said the closure was necessary to contain the spread of the virus across the country. However, domestic flights have resumed in the country since then.
Although there were speculations last month that restrictions would continue till October, Sirika took to his Twitter handle to announce flights resume earlier than reported.
On his Twitter handle on Tuesday, July 21, Sirika said the ministry will announce the agreed resumption date, regardless of the ban by countries in Europe.
“International Flight resumption date is not October. In liaison with the Federal Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidential Task Force of COVID-19, we will announce the agreed date, regardless of the ban by Europe, UAE among others. May be earlier than October,” Sirika said.