Nigeria lifts the last Covid-19 embargo placed on the aviation sector as it opens up all airports

NIGERIA has effectively lifted all the restrictions placed on the aviation industry in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic with the opening of all of the country’s airports on top of the recent resumption of international flights.

In the wake of the pandemic, Nigeria, like most other countries shut her airspace, closed all its airports and barred everything but special flights. Over recent months, Nigeria has lifted the embargoes in a phased manner, starting off with the resumption of domestic flights at five selected airports, the commencement of international flights and now the opening of all airports.

Aviation minister Senator Hadi Sirika, said that operators flying into private-owned airports must know the status of such facilities before going in there. In July, the federal government opened 14 airports managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, after shutting them for several months and with the latest development, there are no longer any restricted airports or airfields in Nigeria.

Senator Sirika said: “All airports in Nigeria are now open for domestic flights, including those that are for private charter operations. Industry operators will no longer need approvals from us to operate domestically within government-owned airports but for the private airports, operators should check their safety status with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

“Such airports are Jalingo, Uyo, Asaba, Gombe, Nasarawa, Damaturu, Osubi, etc. So you don’t need any approval from the minister but you should check the status of these airports with the NCAA.”

On international chartered flights, Senator Sirika said approvals would be needed for these too. He further explained that the government’s approval of certain international carriers to start operating into Nigeria was based on the carrying capacity of the country’s airports at present.

Senator Sirika added: “All flights out of the country that are private charter will still need approvals for those kind of flights, including technical stops. So with this, it means that the approvals that are sent via the NCAA, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and myself will cease and if there is any change, it will be so advised accordingly.”