*Effective from 00 hours Monday, December 28, all passengers coming into Nigeria from the UK and South Africa on direct flights must use the Nigerian International Travel Portal to register ─Dr. Sani Aliyu, National Coordinator of PTF on COVID-19

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

Following the discovery of a new variant of the Coronavirus in the two economies, Nigeria’s Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has announced fresh travel guidelines for passengers coming into Nigeria from South Africa and the UK respectively.

Dr. Sani Aliyu, National Coordinator of PTF, who made the announcement on Thursday, December 24, in Abuja, FCT, at a media briefing said effective Monday, December 28, 3020, all passengers coming into the country from the UK and South Africa on direct flights, must use the Nigerian International Travel Portal to register.

The travellers are also expected to fill in the health questionnaire and must upload a negative COVID-19, polymerase chain reaction, (PCR) result with a validity of not more than five days.

Aliyu stated that travellers must pay for a COVID-19 PCR test at day seven of arrival in the country without which they would not be allowed to board the flights.

The PTF National Coordinator noted that a special register would be opened at the airports for passengers from these two countries specifically to track and ensure they presented themselves for the COVID-19 test on day seven.

He, however, warned that there would be sanctions on passengers that presented fake PRC results in the regard.

Aliyu further said: “We’ll continue to be concerned about the emergence of the new variant Coronavirus in the UK and additional mutate that was described coming from South Africa.

“The system for travels in terms of ensuring the safety of our citizens and preventing the importation of cases in the country is one of the strictest.

According to him, Nigeria is one of the few countries that do double testing, that have a travel portal where you can go in and enter your details including your health questionnaire and pay for a test.

He explained: “Specifically, for the UK and South Africa, the PTF has met and we have decided that additional measures will be required to ensure safety of our citizens.

“So, effective from 00 hours Monday, December 28, all passengers coming into the country from the UK and South Africa on direct flights, must use the Nigerian International Travel Portal to register.

“Fill in the health questionnaire and must upload a negative COVID-19 PCR result with a validity of not more than five days and must pay for a COVID PCR test at day seven of arrival in country.

“When you are leaving the UK or South Africa, you need two documents that you have to present to the airlines.

“The first document is a negative COVID-19 PCR result, second is a permit to travel document, which we use to refer to as the QR code.”

The Coordinator stressed that “the only way you can get the permit to travel on the travel portal is by filling in your health questionnaire electronically, uploading your PCR result and paying for the day seven test.

“If you do not present a permit travel or you cannot present a travel permit, the airlines are being directed not to board.

“So, if you are coming into Nigeria from the UK and South Africa, it is in your best interest to familiarise yourself with the Nigerian International Travel Portal and make sure that you put in your health details.

“Upload your PCR result that has to be negative and you pay for a day seven test upon arrival in Nigeria.”

According to him, “the second enforcement that we will have has to do with the seven day self-isolation upon arrival in the country.

“We had a lot of debates on if we should institute mandatory quarantine when the people arrive.

“We have decided that when you arrive, we will open a special register for all passengers arriving from these two countries.

“We will have an enhanced surveillance where these passengers will be contacted after they have arrived home, we will be checking on them to see if they are having any symptoms.

“But more importantly, we expect these passengers by day seven to unfailingly go for their COVID-19 PCR test which they must have before boarding the aircraft.

“We have already mentioned right from September, when we opened up International airspace that there will be penalties for not abiding by the protocols.