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Chinelo Obogo
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Minister of Aviation, Captain Hadi Sirika, have disagreed on the date for extension of the closure of Nigeria’s international airspace.
The regulatory agency issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) through the Nigerian Air Management Agency (NAMA) stating that it is extending the closure of the country’s international space to October 15 instead of August 19 as previously reported. This implies that no commercial international flights will be allowed to fly within Nigeria’s airspace.
Agencies that wish to pass information pertaining to the country’s airspace does so through the aeronautical information service which is in the custody of NAMA as the agency is in constant communication with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and all relevant bodies and stakeholders accros the world.
A source within NCAA who prefered anonymity confirmed that the international airspace would remain closed until October saying the Federal Government didn’t give a specific date for reopening though it was previously reported that international airports would be closed until August.
The source stated that if there would be further extension beyond October, the message would be passed accross but that for now, only essential and humanitarian flights will continue.
However, Sirika disagreed, saying that international flights may resume earlier than October. On his Twitter handle on Tuesday, July 21, Sirika said NAMA only issued a routine 90-day NOTAM and that the ministry will announce the agreed resumption date, regardless of the ban by countries in Europe.
“International Flight resumption date is not October. NAMA just issued a routine 90 day Notices to Airmen (NOTAM). 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 etc. May be earlier than October,” Sirika said.
Nigeria placed travel restrictions on international flights into the country on March 21, after the country’s coronavirus cases doubled from 12-22. The airport closure was meant to last one month but as cases grew globally, the date of resumption got 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 COVID19, the country’s civil aviation regulator, NCAA, announced in a statement while Enugu, Kano and Port Harcourt were shut afterwards.
FG said the closure was necessary to contain the spread of the virus across the country. However, domestic flights have resumed in the country.
