The Nigerian government has resolved to place a travel ban on international returnees who fail to present themselves for a repeat COVID-19 test after seven days in the country.

The government’s directive was stated in the latest COVID-19 guidelines for international travels on the website of the Presidential Task Force.

“The protocol warns that passengers who fail to show up for a repeat test after 7 days may attract sanctions such as suspension of passports or inclusion on a travel no-fly list for 6 months, and denied foreign travel for the same period,” the Presidential Taskforce protocol read.

“It also revealed that airlines would be fined $3,500 per passenger for failure to comply with the pre-boarding requirements.”

The protocol requires that all persons arriving in Nigeria must have tested negative for COVID-19 having undergone a PCR test in the country of departure pre-boarding.

The test, however, must be done within 96 hours before departure and preferably 72 hours pre-boarding, according to the protocol. Additionally, passengers will be required to pay for the repeat COVID-19 PCR test on arrival in Nigeria.

The repeat test will take place 7 days after arrival within which strict adherence to self-isolation rules must be observed. Also, travellers are compelled to fill in the online Health Declaration/Self-Reporting form and submit online or print out for presentation on arrival. The payments and the registration will be done via the Nigerian International Travel Portal online.

On arrival in Nigeria, travellers are mandated 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.

“Any traveller who develops symptoms during this exercise will immediately be placed in institutional quarantine where appropriate care will be administered,” the protocol said.

“If any of the passengers that are deported tests positive for COVID-19, all his close primary contacts will be required to undergo enhanced screening and a follow-up PCR test if necessary.

“Before boarding, passengers must upload their COVID-19 PCR negative results on to the national payment portal and bring along an electronic or hard copy of the result for presentation at the airport, while at the time of boarding, all travellers will undergo thermal screening for fever and questioned for symptoms of COVID-19.”