Nigeria says it will resume international flights into and out of the country on Saturday for the first time in five months.
Nigeria suspended all air travel on March 23 to comply with restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
The government says the first four international flights into the country will be arriving in the federal capital, Abuja, and the commercial capital, Lagos, but the origin of the flights have yet to be announced.
Nigeria’s minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the resumption of international flights was justified after no in-flight infections occurred during the restart of domestic flights on July 8.
Sirika said the resumption of flights comes with protocols to assure the progress made in containing the virus is not comprised at airports.
Nigeria wants passengers to take a coronavirus test before their departure and pay for a second test on their arrival in the country.
The government warned that any travelers who manage to skip the tests will be put on a travel watch list.
The federal government also intends to impose a $3,500 fine on airlines that allow coronavirus patients to board planes.
