International Flights May Resume September – Minister

The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika has given the indication that international flights from Nigeria might resume in September 2020.

On March 23rd 2020, Nigeria shut down its airspace as part of measures to curtail the spread of coronavirus in the country.

Recently the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) issued a notice of the extension of the closure of international airspace until October 15 instead of August 19 as previously announced.

But the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Sirika clarified that flights might resume earlier than October.

In a tweet, the minister said “International flight resumption date is not October. NAMA just issued a routine 90-day Notices to Airmen (NOTAM).”

“In liaison with health, foreign affairs & PTF COVID-19, we will announce the agreed date, regardless of the ban by Europe, UAE etc. May be earlier than October” he tweeted.

A senior staff in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) told our correspondent under the condition of anonymity that the authorities are not looking at commencing international flights in September 2020.

He said, even if Europe still shuts its airspace to the country, Nigeria will open its airspace to African flights and flights from other continents.