Travel Ban: 8 Things Passengers Arriving Nigeria Must Do To Avoid Passport Suspension

The Nigerian Government on Saturday commenced sanction against persons who flouted the guidelines stipulated by the Presidential Task Force On Covid-19 for air travellers arriving the country.

The Presidency announced in a notice that the first batch of 100 passengers who evaded the country’s post-arrival COVID-19 test had been placed on a “no-fly list” for the next 6 months, beginning from January 1, 2020.

The PTF has placed travel restrictions on the first 100 passengers for non-compliance to the mandatory Day 7 post-arrival COVID-19 test.#TakeResponsibility pic.twitter.com/MV6V1rxYRP

— Covid-19 Presidential Task Force (PTF) | Nigeria (@DigiCommsNG) January 2, 2021

THE WHISTLER reports that the presidential task force had published its “Revised Quarantine Protocol” against COVID-19 on the website of the Nigeria International Travel Portal (NITP), which became effective from September 5, 2020.

The PTF had warned that air travellers caught violating the protocol risked being “sanctioned with suspension of their passports or inclusion on a travel no-fly list for 6 months and denied foreign travel for this period.”

Checks on the NITP website showed that air travellers arriving the country were required to strictly follow the following guidelines, amongst others:

All passengers/persons arriving in Nigeria will be:

1. Required, on arrival at the airport, to go through the routine Port Health screening and present electronic or print-out Access Report sent to their emails for verification and approval by the Port Health Officials.
2. There will be further temperature screening by the Port Health Officials and travelers with temperature of over 38oC will be required to proceed to secondary screening. At the secondary screening area travelers will be further checked for COVID-19 related symptoms and/or other relevant health conditions. Port Health Services Officials may require travelers to proceed to a compulsory quarantine facility if they suspect the need for direct care.
   • Travellers reporting or developing symptoms of COVID-19 on arrival, or during screening will not be allowed to self-quarantine and will be placed in institutional quarantine.
3. Other passengers will proceed to further immigration clearance.
4. On arrival at destination in Nigeria, passengers will proceed on a 7-day self-isolation/quarantine, during which time they are to avoid physical interaction with friends, family, colleagues, and other members of the public (i.e. must observe strict physical and social distancing).
5. Passengers are strongly advised to stay in the residential address provided in order to facilitate public health support in Nigeria.
6. Passengers must present themselves at the sample collection centers on the 7th day of arrival; samples will be taken, and a COVID-19 PCR test done; a reminder text message may be sent to the passenger by the private laboratory provider a day before the appointment.
   • Passengers who fail to submit themselves at the sample collection centers on day 7 of arrival will be reminded by sms and their details forwarded to the State Public Health Department teams and NCDC for active follow up.
   • Private laboratories will be required to forward details of passengers who decline repeat PCR test by day 14 of arrival for sanctioning. These passengers may be sanctioned with suspension of their passports or inclusion on a travel no-fly list for 6 months and denied foreign travel for this period.
7. Test results will be ready within 24 to 48 hours and the State Public Health Department teams & Nigeria Center for Disease Control will be informed accordingly.
   • Persons who test POSITIVE for COVID-19 will be managed based on National Guidelines for COVID-19 treatment.
   • Persons who test NEGATIVE for COVID -19 after 7 days will end self-isolation on the 8th day.
   • Travellers reporting or developing symptoms of COVID-19 on arrival, or during screening will not be allowed to self-quarantine and will be placed in institutional quarantine.
8. For deportees, if one person tests positive for COVID-19, all close primary contacts will be required to undergo enhanced screening and a follow-up PCR test if necessary
   • Passengers will be monitored by Public Health Officers during the period of self – isolation/quarantine. For this reason, passengers will be required to provide a functioning telephone number on their online registration forms. Persons who develop symptoms of COVID-19 during the isolation period will immediately be tested for COVID-19. If POSITIVE, they will be managed based on National Guidelines for COVID-19 treatment