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Travellers who have stayed or visited Brazil, South Africa and Turkey in the last 14 days have been restricted from entering Nigeria, the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, has declared.

This is even as the PSC has exempted India from the list of restricted countries, after the country successfully controlled the spreading of the third wave of COVID-19.

The chairman of the PSC, Boss Mustapha, said: “Non-Nigerian passport holders and non-residents who visited Brazil, Turkey or South Africa within 14 days preceding travel to Nigeria, shall be denied entry into Nigeria.

“This regulation, however, does not apply to passengers who transited through these countries.”

The PSC chairman, who said this protocol comes into effect from September 14, 2021; also said “airlines who fail to comply shall mandatorily pay a penalty of $3,500 for each defaulting passenger; and Non-Nigerians will be denied entry and returned to the country of embarkation at cost to the airline.

“Nigerians and those with permanent resident permit who visited Brazil, Turkey and South Africa within 14 days preceding travel to Nigeria shall be made to undergo seven days of mandatory quarantine in a government approved facility at the point-of-entry city and at cost to the passenger.”

The PSC also said: “All intending passengers (including diplomats and children less than 10 years old) must register via an online national travel portal (Nigeria International Travel Portal – https://nitp.ncdc.gov.ng) and proceed to fill in the online Health Declaration/Self-Reporting form located on the portal.

“They should ensure that the information/contact details provided on the form are correct and verifiable. Passengers must provide valid phone numbers, residential addresses and functional e-mails where they can be contacted.

“Passengers must also inform Port Health officials on arrival of any change in their health status since completion of the Health Declaration/Self-Reporting Form. Passengers who falsify their status as diplomats will face prosecution.”

Also, as part of the protocol, “passengers who fail to show up for this test will face travel restrictions on their passports for at least 6 months and will not be able to travel abroad for this period. Non-Nigerian passport holders will have their visas revoked.”