The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday said that intending travellers into Nigeria must have tested negative to the Coronavirus before being allowed entry into the country.

The PTF National Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu, stated this while providing further insight on protocols ahead of the resumption of international flights during the daily briefing in Abuja.

“Intending travellers to Nigeria must have tested negative for COVID-19 PCR test, before being allowed entry into the country.

“We are narrowing the period of validity for the PCR test from the current 14 days to 7 days from Aug. 29.

“Preferably, PCR test must be done as close as possible from 48 hours to 72 hours from departure but we still accept results that are valid within 7 days prior to boarding,” he stated.

He said that Nigerians were aware that the PTF had asked the aviation authorities to prepare for the opening of international flights from Aug. 29.

“This is dependent on ensuring that all COVID-19 protocols that have been approved by the Presidential Task Force on the back of the resumption are adhered to.

“For the moment, all travellers coming into the country will abide by the quarantine protocols that we currently have,” he outlined.

The Coordinator said that Nigeria would continue with the process of requesting for a negative PCR result for all passengers boarding to travel to Nigeria.

He said that the test must be PCR test and the country would not accept uncertified results.

“As mentioned by the chairman of the PTF, we’re concerned about the quality of some of the results we are getting and the discrepancies, when passengers are tested in country.

“For this reason, the protocol that has just been approved by the PTF will be reviewed after four weeks and we would be looking at the level of discrepancies between the negative and the positive results.

“We are working with various embassies and we insist that passengers use these laboratories for the test,” Mr Aliyu said.