Nigeria reopens more airports for international flights

The Nigerian government is to reopen Kano and Port Harcourt Omagwa for international flights to relieve congestion at Lagos and Abuja, which already reopened to foreign traffic in September. Nigerian media reports this was disclosed by Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Director-General Musa Nuhu while briefing a daily presidential taskforce meeting on COVID-19 in Abuja on November 12, 2020. Nuhu did not mention a date for the re-opening. He said Nigeria’s Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) was working to resolve 24-hour port health arrangements at the two airports. Once this was finalised, both Kano and Port Harcourt would resume international operations. Nigeria has been re-opening its airports in phases, starting in July and August with domestic operations, followed by international flights from Lagos and Abuja on September 5, 2020. According to the ch-aviation schedules module, Badr Airlines (J4, Khartoum) and Mid Africa Aviation (MFG, Banjul) used to codeshare (flight J4 650) between Khartoum and Kano twice-weekly, although Mid Africa Aviation’s Air Operators Certification has reportedly expired. Azman Air (AZM, Kano) and Aero Contractors (NIG, Lagos) service Kano domestically from Lagos, with Azman Air also operating flights between Abuja and Kano. Aero Contractors, Dana Air (9J, Lagos), and Arik Air (W3, Lagos) service Port Harcourt Omagwa from Lagos and Abuja.