COVID-19: Nigeria to reopen airports for international flights on August 29

The federal government has announced to reopen Nigeria’s airspace for international travel on August 29.

Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation, announced on Monday that the reopening procedure will mirror that of domestic flights where operations began with the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja.

“Glad to announce the resumption of international flights from the 29th of August, 2020. Beginning with Lagos and Abuja as we did with the domestic flight resumption,” he tweeted.

“Protocols and procedures will be announced in due course. We thank you for your patience.”

Glad to announce the resumption of international flights from the 29th of August, 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.🙏🏽🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬🙏🏽

— Hadi Abubakar Sirika (@hadisirika) August 17, 2020

Domestic flight operations began across the country on July 8 with the Lagos and Abuja airports while Kano, Port Harcourt, Owerri and Maiduguri airports reopened on July 11.

On August 6, Sani Aliyu, national coordinator of the presidential task force on COVID-19, asked the aviation authorities and airline operators to begin the process for the resumption of international flights.

As part of intending procedures for international flight resumption, Aliyu had said passengers would have to arrive at the airport three hours before takeoff to give them ample time to go through necessary checks.

“We have modified the advice with the regards to arrival for flights: Passengers arriving at the airports for domestic flights advice to arrive at least one and a half hours before their flight, and three hours before international flights where these restart,” he said at the time.

Nigeria shut its airspace to international travel on March 23, 2020, to contain the spread of the coronavirus.