NCAA Threatens Sanctions Over Mandatory Health Declarations on Inbound Flights

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has warned international airlines that they will face sanctions if they allow passengers or crew to board flights bound for Nigeria without completing the mandatory Health Declaration Form.

The directive, communicated via a circular to all international carriers, follows the confirmation of an Ebola case in Nigeria. The updated protocol was developed based on guidance from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Under the new regulation, every traveler scheduled to arrive in Nigeria; including diplomats, legislators, children, adults, and aircrew, must complete and submit the prescribed form prior to boarding. 

The NCAA emphasized that airlines will be held directly accountable for non-compliance, noting that offending carriers will face sanctions in line with existing laws and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations. 

International airlines have been directed to implement the measure immediately as part of concerted efforts to strengthen public health surveillance and prevent the transmission of Ebola through air travel.