The Federal Government has placed a 72-hour suspension on outbound Emirates flights from Nigeria.
This is contained in a circular issued on February 4 by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The circular states that the suspension followed a violation of guidelines placed by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
According to the circular signed by NCAA director-general, Musa Nuhu, the airline has been airlifting passengers from Nigeria using rapid antigen tests conducted by laboratories not approved by regulatory authorities.
“Based on the foregoing and to enable the Nigerian government to put in place the needed infrastructure and logistics for COVID-19 RDT testing for departing passengers, the PTF has directed that Emirates Airlines should either accept passengers without RDT pending when the infrastructure and logistics are put in place or suspend its flights to and from Nigeria until such a time when the required infrastructure and logistics are fully establ
Nigeria suspends Emirates airline flights over COVID-19 tests Reuters 2/5/2021
By Libby George and Alexis Akwagyiram
LAGOS, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Nigeria has suspended Emirates airlines flights because the carrier sought to impose an additional COVID-19 test for passengers from Nigeria, the aviation regulator said in a letter seen by Reuters on Friday dated Feb. 4.
An aviation ministry spokesman on Monday told a news conference that the United Arab Emirates, in addition to requiring a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before flying from Nigeria, was adding an extra requirement of having a rapid test four hours before departure.
He said airlines that insisted on the additional test would be suspended until an appropriate structure was put in place to conduct the second test within four hours of departure.
Foreign airlines explain extra measures, seek cooperation
Travel operators, Wednesday, kicked against the new COVID-19 antigen tests among other safety measures now imposed by some foreign airlines plying the Nigerian route. x
The operators flayed the additional discomfort and extra cost imposed on the travelling public in Nigeria alone, describing them as exploitative.
The airlines earlier explained that the additional test measures were due to rampant cases of fake COVID-19 test results coming from Nigeria.
The Guardian reported that international carriers have begun enforcement of fresh safety protocols much to the discomfort of Nigerian travellers.
The national carriers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Netherlands, Emirates and KLM, respectively, have begun conducting mandatory antigen tests on Nigerian passengers, in addition to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test approved by the Federal Government and the global standard.
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The Federal Government has lifted the ban it earlier placed on Emirates Airlines.
This is coming after the United Arab Emirates granted the carrier permission to withdraw the Rapid Antigen Testing done prior to the departure of Emirates flights from Nigeria, according to a letter by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
Due to the development, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 directed the immediate lifting of the suspension placed on the operations of Emirates Airlines in Nigeria.
The letter signed by the Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu expected the airline to comply with the directives by the PTF on COVID-19 and other protocols of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Emirates airliners are seen on the tarmac in a general view.
REUTERS/Abdel Hadi Ramahi
LAGOS (Reuters) - Nigeria has lifted its suspension of Emirates airlines flights imposed after the carrier sought additional COVID-19 tests for passengers from Nigeria, a spokesman for the country’s aviation regulator said on Friday.
“The suspension has just been lifted, because they have complied with what we want,” said the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) spokesman in a phone call. He said further details would soon be made public in a statement.
An Emirates spokesperson said the company “can confirm that we will continue to operate services to Abuja and Lagos.”