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Uncertainty over reopening of Nigeria’s airspace for international flights
BY NICHOLAS ABE
Uncertainty continues to becloud the reopening of Nigeria’s airspace for international flights, some 10 days after the resumption of local flights.
Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika, reacting to a media report that international flights will resume in October, remained equivocal in his response.
“International Flight resumption date is not October,” Sirika snapped in a tweet on Tuesday.
The minister described what was misconstrued to be a definite timeline for the reopening of the nation’s airspace for international travels, as routine advice issued to pilots.
He said: “NAMA (Nigerian Airspace Management Authority) just issued a routine 90-day Notices to Airmen (NOTAM). In liaison with Federal Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & PTF COVID-19, we will announce the agreed date, regardless of the ban by Europe, UAE etc. May be earlier than October…”
READ: FG shuts all airports in Nigeria to international flights
Nigerian airspace has remained shutdown for international flights since March 23, 2020, following directives from the Federal Government, as part of the measures to check the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
Only essential travels as authorised by the minister are exempted.