The Federal Government has asked foreign airlines operating in Nigeria not to deny passengers boarding due to their inability to show evidence of payment for the Day-7 COVID-19 PCR test.
This is due to the difficulty experienced by passengers in generating the PCR code after payment of the statutory fee, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said.
The Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu, gave this directive in a letter to all airlines operating in and out of the country.
According to him, the decision was taken in view of the challenges some travellers to Nigeria were experiencing while trying to fill their Health and Travel history into Nigeria’s International Travel Portal (NITP).
The NCAA letter was dated September 11, 2021, and entitled, “Permission for airlines to board passengers travelling to Nigeria who are unable to show evidence of payment for day seven COVID-19 PCR test or generate paid QR code/permit to fly”.
The DG explained that the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 had been notified of the challenges being faced by the travellers.
“Airlines are thereby permitted to board any traveller to Nigeria who is unable to either pay for the repeat Day Seven COVID-19 PCR test or generate the paid QR code/ permit to fly.
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“Such passengers will be required to make payment for the repeat Day Seven COVID-19 PCR test at their destination airport in Nigeria.
“Holders of Diplomatic passports and Children aged 10 years and below who are unable to complete NITP are to be allowed to board the flight.
“Their health declaration and travel history will be captured by the Port Health Services (PHS) at the destination airport.
“Airlines are to bring this information to the knowledge of the passenger and ensure strict compliance with above-stated conditions.”
The letter, therefore, mandated airlines to board any traveller to Nigeria who is unable to either pay for the repeat day-7 COVID-19 PCR test or generate the paid QR code/permit to fly.
According to the NCAA DG, passengers experiencing the challenges would now be required to make payment for the repeat day-7 COVID-19 PCR test at their destination airport in Nigeria.
