Nigerian airports earlier shut down as part of efforts to control the spread of Coronavirus in the country will no longer be reopened on April 23, 2020, as earlier projected.
Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, who disclosed this in Abuja on Monday, said the new projected date of resumption of airport operations is consequent upon the two weeks extension of the lockdown by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“As a result of the extension on lockdown by Mr President, it is no longer possible for us to open our airspace and airports for normal operations by the 23rd April, 2020.”
According to Sirika, the airports will remain closed for a further two weeks, which is, however, subject to review as appropriate.
He has therefore appealed to air travellers and all stakeholders in the aviation industry to see the current situation as sacrifices necessary to safeguard the health and well-being of the people, with the hope that the pandemic will be shortlived.
The Federal Government had announced the closure of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on March 23, 2020, for one month in the first instance as part of measures to combat the Coronavirus scourge.