Covid-19: International travellers to show evidence of vaccination before entry into Nigeria
Federal Government has declared that all arriving travellers at the country’s ports of entry must now present evidence of vaccination or immunization against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Against the Federal Government, the decision follows the recent surge in Covid-19 in China, Japan, the United States of America, among others.
According to government, unvaccinated arriving passengers can still get their vaccine shot at the airport.
Making the disclosure during the ministerial briefing in Abuja, Monday, the Director of Port Health Services, Ministry of Health, Dr. Geoffrey Okatubo, said all pre-departure and post-arrival PCR test requirements for all persons who are not fully vaccinated have been suspended and passengers will no longer be required to upload evidence of vaccination on the Nigeria International Travel Portal.
Okatubo also hinted that despite surging cases, China’s decision to relax its strict COVID-19 rules to curb the virus has Nigeria, along with other nations across the world, to impose restrictions on travellers from the Asian country amid fears of an increase in COVID-19.
Nigeria’s COVID-19 regulations in the nation were loosened by the government in December.
“As you are all aware that the Presidential Steering Committee announced the relaxation of the COVID-19 safety measures in Nigeria some few weeks ago.
“However, following the reported upsurge in COVID-19 in China, Japan, the U.S., and other countries; Port Health Services has continued to heighten surveillance at our points of entry. The port health services have resumed checks of passengers’ vaccination status; and we provide traffic data on inbound passengers from all over the world.
“All international travellers arriving in Nigeria are now to provide evidence of vaccination at the point of entry; and it was agreed that unvaccinated passengers arriving from other countries may have to be vaccinated at the airport.
“The Minister of Health recently approved that Port Health Services should meet with other stakeholders such as; the NCDC, the Ministry of Aviation, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria; and relevant unions over the use of rapid diagnostic test kits for testing any suspected ill passenger at our points of entry.
“Port Health Services officers are still positioned at the seaport; and offshore platforms to screen all crew and passengers coming into the country,” Okatubo said.
