FG lifts ban on Emirates as UAE suspends rapid tests

The Federal Government has lifted the ban it placed on Emirates Airlines.

This was in response to the withdrawal of the Rapid Antigen Testing by the United Arab Emirates for passengers on Emirates flights.

The airline was banned on Friday by the PTF for airlifting passengers from Nigeria using Rapid Antigen Tests conducted by laboratories neither approved nor authorised by the appropriate regulatory bodies.

It was accused of advertising two centres not approved for coronavirus rapid testing, identified as Travel Clinic and Medicaid Mobile Laboratory.

Owing to witrhdrawal of the Rapid Antigen Testing, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 directed the immediate lifting of the suspension placed on the operations of Emirates Airlines in Nigeria.

A letter by the Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu, asked the airline to comply with the directives by the PTF on COVID-19 and other protocols of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“Emirates Airlines will be duly informed of ongoing enforcement actions by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority with regards to the established non-compliances to PTF directives and protocols as enumerated in our letter of February 4, 2021,” the letter reads.

The airline, in turn, expressed its desire to continue flying to Nigeria as it thanked the authorities for their support.

It said: “Emirates can confirm that we will continue to operate services to Abuja and Lagos. We are strongly committed to Nigeria and would like to thank the local authorities for their trust and support.

“We look forward to continuing to safely connect our customers, and meet air travel demand from Nigeria to and through Dubai to Emirates’ global network.”