Coronavirus: Nigerian airports will remain closed for another 2 weeks

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, says the Nigerian airspace will remain closed for another two weeks as the country continues to battle to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

President Muhammadu Buhari had initially announced the closure of all the country's airports to all international flights on March 21, 2020, at a time when Nigeria had recorded 22 coronavirus cases.

This was because an overwhelming majority of cases at the time were people who had recently returned to Nigeria from high risk countries where they had contracted the disease.

A month after the closure of the airspace, the country has recorded a total of 627 coronavirus cases in 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The continued rise of the figures in Nigeria led the president to also announce an initial 14-day lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and the FCT, to contain the outbreak, starting from March 30.

Last week, he extended the lockdown by another 14 days till April 27.

Sirika took to Twitter on Monday, April 20, to announce that the extension means the Nigerian airspace will remain closed for operations.

"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.

"They will remain closed for a further 2 weeks. This subject to review as appropriate, please," he posted.

The closure doesn't apply to emergency and essential flights.

As of April 19, 21 people have died from coronavirus-related complications in Nigeria. 170 people have recovered and been discharged.