Travel/Tourism
COVID-19: Nigeria Blacklists Brazil, India, Turkey
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has banned passengers from Brazil, India and Turkey from entering the country as the nations battle another wave of coronavirus.
The ban, which will take effect from Tuesday, May 4, will also see people who have visited the blacklisted countries within 14 days preceding their travel to Nigeria denied entry into the country.
This was made known by the chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, on Sunday.
It was also disclosed that airlines that fail to comply with measures will pay a $3,500 penalty for each defaulting passenger, with non-Nigerians to be denied entry and returned to the country of embarkation at a cost to the airline.
This regulation, however, does not apply to passengers who transited through these countries, a notice from the committee disclosed.
Consequently, authorities also advised Nigerians to avoid any non-essential international travels to any country at this period and specifically to countries that are showing a rising number of cases and deaths.
Nigerians and those with a permanent residence permit who visited the countries preceding travel to Nigeria would be made to undergo seven days of mandatory quarantine in a government-approved facility at the point-of-entry city and at a cost to the passenger.
He explained that such passengers within 24 hours of arrival must take a COVID-19 PCR test and if positive, the passenger would be admitted within a government-approved treatment centre, in line with national treatment protocols.
If negative, the passenger would continue to remain in quarantine and made to undergo a repeat PCR test on day 7 of the quarantine.
According to him, passengers arriving in Nigeria from other destinations must observe a 7-day self-isolation at the final destination, carry out a COVID-19 PCR test on day 7 at a selected laboratory and would be monitored for compliance to isolation protocol by appropriate authorities.
The SGF said the PSC, after due consideration, has, therefore, approved the implementation of the measures and has reduced the validity period of pre-boarding COVID-19 PCR test for all Nigeria-bound passengers from 96 hours to 72 hours, adding that henceforth, PCR test results older than 72 hours before departure would not be accepted.
Grim Situation in Brazil, India and Turkey
Brazil surpassed 400,000 deaths linked to COVID-19 on Friday, the second-highest total in the world after the United States, and it has recorded more than 14.6 million infections to date.
More than half of those deaths were recorded in 2021 alone, while April was the deadliest month since the virus first began spreading in Brazil last year.
In India, it broke its previous deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic yet with another 3,689 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Sunday marked the fourth straight day India recorded more than 3,000 deaths as the second wave of the pandemic keeps setting morbid new records. Altogether, 215,542 people have died from COVID-19 in the country.
Healthcare systems are overwhelmed and a shortage of medical oxygen has emerged as the most serious challenge.
For Turkey, after more than a year of fighting against the coronavirus pandemic, it has finally to imposed a full lockdown for the first time as cases skyrocket more than 5,000 per day.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United States President Donald Trump has imposed a partial travel restriction on Nigeria, as part of a series of new actions, citing security concerns.
The latest travel restriction will affect new Nigerians hoping to travel to the US, as it cites security concerns and difficulties in vetting nationals.
The travel restrictions also affect citizens of other African as well as Black-majority Caribbean nations.
This development comes months after the American President threatened to invade the country over perceived persecution against Christians.
President Trump had already fully banned the entry of Somalis as well as citizens of Afghanistan, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Sudan, and Yemen.
The countries newly subject to partial restrictions, besides Nigeria, are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Angola, Senegal and Zambia have all been prominent US partners in Africa, with former president Joe Biden hailing the three for their commitment to democracy.
In the proclamation, the White House alleged high crime rates from some countries on the blacklist and problems with routine record-keeping for passports.
The White House acknowledged “significant progress” by one initially targeted country, Turkmenistan.
The Central Asian country’s nations will once again be able to secure US visas, but only as non-immigrants.
The US president, who has long campaigned to restrict immigration and has spoken in increasingly strident terms, moved to ban foreigners who “intend to threaten” Americans, the White House said.
He also wants to prevent foreigners in the United States who would “undermine or destabilize its culture, government, institutions or founding principles,” a White House proclamation said.
Other countries newly subjected to the full travel ban came from some of Africa’s poorest countries — Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone and South Sudan — as well as Laos in southeast Asia.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has commenced an investigation into pricing templates behind high ticket rates charge by some airlines on some domestic routes.
A statement issued by the Director of Corporate Affairs of the commission, Mr Ondaje Ijagwu, in Abuja said the investigation was to establish possible violations of the provisions of the law.
Mr Ijagwu said that concerns had been expressed widely in the past few days over what appeared to be coordinated manipulation or exploitation in the pricing of airline tickets by some airlines on certain routes, adding that the routes where concerns had been raised included the South-East and South-South, as the festive season began.
According to him, the ongoing investigation targets operators on the identified routes.
He said the commission would apply appropriate enforcement measures where evidence showed any violation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).
Mr Ijagwu explained that Air Peace, had instituted a court action seeking to restrain the agency from examining its pricing mechanisms, following the commencement of an investigation into its pricing model after widespread complaints from members of the public.
He said the ongoing inquiry was without prejudice to the case instituted against the Commission by Air Peace.
The director quoted the vice chairman of FCCPC, Mr Tunji Bello, as saying “the commission would not hesitate to act where evidence showed that consumers welfare or market competitiveness were being undermined.
”For the avoidance of doubt, we are not a price control board but the FCCP Act 2018 empowers us to check the exploitation of consumers.
”When we receive petitions or where we find cogent evidence, we will not stand by and watch Nigerian consumers being exploited under any guise.
”Given the arbitrary spike in airfares, the Commission is extending its review of pricing patterns, the basis for the increases reported by consumers, and any practices that could undermine fair competition.
”Where evidence confirms a breach of the Act, FCCPC will apply appropriate enforcement measures,” Mr Bello said, promising that the organisation will continue to provide updates on the ongoing investigations in the aviation industry.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A travel card designed for tourists, business visitors, Diaspora returnees has been launched by Verve in partnership with Providus Bank.
Known as the ProvidusVerve Travel Card, the Naira-based travel card will allow inbound travellers to enjoy a smooth, secure, and convenient payment experience throughout their stay in Nigeria. It was powered by Verve’s secure.
Created to support the surge of tourists, expatriates, business visitors, conference delegates, and returning diaspora expected during the festive Detty December season, the ProvidusVerve Travel Card enables seamless payments for transportation, hotels, dining, shopping, entertainment, and everyday essentials nationwide.
The card also works on select global merchant platforms that accept Verve, including Netflix, Google Play, and other digital services, ensuring travellers enjoy uninterrupted access to familiar services.
The ProvidusVerve Travel Card eliminates the hassle of sourcing naira or converting foreign currency on arrival. It enables instant, secure transactions, reduces reliance on cash, and supports compliance with the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
It also mitigates the risks associated with carrying physical cash such as loss, theft, or fraud, offering a safe, regulation-aligned option for both online and in-person payments.
“The ProvidusVerve Travel Card is a timely solution for inbound travellers seeking reliability, security, and simplicity while navigating Nigeria.
“Together with Providus Bank, we have created a product that eliminates the friction traditionally associated with accessing local payments.
“Whether for tourism, business, or festive activities, this card ensures a smooth financial experience from the moment visitors land,” the Vice President for Issuing and Acquiring Management for Africa at Verve International, Mr Paul Ohakim, stated.
On his part, the Divisional Head for Product Management and Solution Delivery at Interswitch, Mr Ademola Adeniran, described the partnership as a reflection of “Verve’s commitment to designing products that respond to real user needs.”
“The ProvidusVerve Travel Card supports everyday experiences — from booking rides and hotels to shopping, streaming, and dining. It provides inbound travellers with a secure, compliant, digital-first way to experience Nigeria without financial barriers,” he added.
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