This archive report was first published on 18 August 2020.
On August 17, 2020, Nigeria's Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika announced the resumption of international flights from August 29, 2020, in a Twitter update.
According to the minister, international flights will begin in Lagos, the commercial hub, and Abuja, the capital, before expanding to other cities.
As part of the preparations, Nigeria had closed its airspace on March 23, 2020, leaving only essential international flights, such as the evacuation of Nigerian citizens stranded abroad.
Domestic flights resumed on July 8, 2020, with the minister reiterating that Nigeria's international airports are at advanced stages of preparedness.
The minister also expressed confidence that there will be minimal infections associated with domestic flights due to the enforcement of safety protocols, including the use of masks, hand sanitizers, and social distancing during travel.
As of the latest data from the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, there are 49,000 coronavirus cases in the country, making it the third-highest in Africa after South Africa and Egypt.
