The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Coronavirus (COVID-19) has threatened to slam $3,500 fine on airlines found carrying passengers in breach of international flight protocols.
PTF National Coordinator Dr Sani Aliyu spoke on Monday at a news conference in Abuja.
Aliyu said the PTF had come to the conclusion that it would now be safe to shorten the isolation period for in-coming passengers from 14 days to eight days.
“We are narrowing the period of validity of PCR test from the current 14 days to 7 days from 29th of August. Preferably, the PCR test should be done as close as possible to the point of departure for Nigeria, preferably from 48 to 72 hours, but we will still accept result that are valid for seven days.
“Prior to boarding, we are currently developing a payment portal. As you are aware, at the moment, the PCR test that we have been doing for evacuated passengers has been sponsored by Aliko Dangote Foundation. We are very grateful for their generosity. We have had more than 13,000 stranded Nigerians brought into the country as a result of this process.
“From the 29th of August, travellers will be required to pay for their COVID-19 test in-country. We are developing a national payment portal, which will be linked to the current Lagos payment portal that is already active.”
