Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA , weekend directed foreign airlines operating into the country to allow passengers travelling to Nigeria who are unable to show evidence of payment for day-7 Covid-19 PCR test or generate paid QR code or permit to fly, to board their flights. The granting of the temporary permit is due to the current difficulties being experienced by travellers to Nigeria in trying to fill their health and travel history into the Nigeria International Travel Portal, NITP.
The Director General, NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu who granted this permission in a letter to all foreign airlines dated 11th September, 2021, said the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 has been notified of the challenges. Captain Nuhu said : “Such passengers will be required to make payment for the repeated day-7 COVID-19 test at their destination airport in Nigeria.
“Holders of diplomatic passports and children aged ten years and below who are unable to complete the NITP are to be allowed to board the flight. Their health declaration and travel history will be captured by the Port Health Services at the destination airport.” The NCAA DG also directed the airlines to bring this information to the knowledge of their passengers and ensure strict compliance with the above stated conditions.
He also revealed that the Ministers of Health , Aviation, Information and Culture have been briefed on this development. He added that the Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 and the Head, Technical Secretariat, Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 have also been briefed. It will be recalled that intending passengers to the country have recently expressed frustration and difficulty encountered while filling the second covid-19 test forms they are expected to take on the 7th day of their arrival in the country. They have also complained of difficulty in generating payment code. This had led to their being denied boarding by the foreign airlines .
