December 12, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government, on Monday, confirmed THEWILL’s earlier report, published last Friday, that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the suspension of all COVID-19 restrictions.
Following the approval, the Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19 (PSC), has directed the suspension of all pre-arrival or post-arrival COVID tests for air travellers in Nigeria.
The development was announced in a letter by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), dated December 12, 2022, and addressed to airline operators.
The letter, signed by Captain Musa S. Nuhu, Director General of Civil Aviation, also makes the wearing of face masks optional for passengers onboard aircraft.
The statement read: “The prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria and most parts of the world has remained at a low level for a Sustained period.
“The Presidential Steering Committee on CoVID-19 (PSC) has, therefore, revised the COVID-19/Public Health guidelines as follows:
(A) Domestic Operations:
1. Mask Mandate:
a. The wearing of face masks inside Airport terminal buildings and onboard aircraft by airport workers, passengers, and crew members is no longer mandatory. Wearing face masks by passengers onboard aircraft or inside Airport terminal buildings is discretionary, but recommended.
b. Persons aged 60 years and above, immunocompromised (e.g. due to organ transplant, cancer, etc), those with comorbidities (e.g. Heart disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, etc), are advised to use facemasks, wash their hands with water and soap, Use hand alcohol-based sanitisers, and avoid large gatherings.
2. Disinfection of bags at the entrance of terminal buildings is no longer required.
3. Airlines are, therefore, required to resume serving catering (meals and drinks) onboard aircraft.
4. Maintaining social distancing at airport terminal buildings is no longer mandatory.
5. Facilities and conveyances are advised to maintain good environmental hygiene, good ventilation, and encourage good hand and respiratory hygiene.
6. The use of alcohol-based sanitisers by passengers and airport workers is recommended.
7. Boarding and disembarkation protocols are to be maintained.
(B) International Operations:
1. All requirements in ‘A’ above shall apply.
2. COVID-19 Travel Testing: Pre-departure and Post-arrival COVID-19 PCR tests are no longer required for all passengers irrespective of vaccination status. PCR tests required for all passengers who are partial/not fully vaccinated have been suspended.
3. Health Declaration form. Permission to travel QR code is no longer required. A simplified Health NCAA Questionnaire form (non-COVID-19 specific) shall be completed by all passengers travelling to Nigeria preferably pre-departure on the Nigerian International Travel Portal (NITP). Passengers who fail to fill the health questionnaire on the NITP pre-departure will be required to fill the health questionnaire either onboard the aircraft prior to landing or at the Airport terminal building upon arrival.
4. All other CoviD-19 quarantine/travel requirements are hereby made optional.
This AOL supersedes previous AOLs issued on COVID-19 for domestic and international operations.
All Aviation Service Providers are hereby required to comply with the above requirements.
Non-compliance by any Aviation Service provider with this AOL shall attract appropriate sanctions.
This AOL shall be effective immediately.
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