By Amina Aminu
The federal government has agreed to review COVID-19 travel guidelines and conditions to meet that which was imposed by the government of the United Arab Emirate earlier in March 2021.
The National Incident Manager of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19,
Dr. Mukhtar Muhammad, made the announcement while responding to journalists at a media briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja and also hinted on the possible resumption of flights between Nigeria and the UAE.
He further explained that the federal government has succumbed to the COVID-19 testing requirement earlier imposed by the UAE government in March 2021 to maintain harmony after an extensive deliberation on the matter — gap had been significantly closed between the position of Nigeria and the UAE.
In a similar vain at the briefing, the director general of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Musa Nuhu, said Emirates Airline would soon resume its flight operations in and out of Nigeria, as discussion were still ongoing with the airline.
Recall that Emirate airline directed Nigerian travellers at the Lagos and Abuja airports to conduct rapid COVID-19 tests before departure, which led to a ban on Emirates flights in Nigeria, a ban which was later lifted after the airline agreed to stop the rapid antigen tests.
But the federal government reintroduced the ban, explaining that Emirates had continued to conduct rapid antigen tests for passengers before departure from Nigeria in March.
