IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

​​​​Important notice: This report was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This report is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection.

Statistics

Please consult the following sources for the most recent data:

• The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) issues a daily update of COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria.
• The Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center provides daily updates of the number of confirmed cases and deaths in Nigeria. 

Number of reported cases

• Number of confirmed cases per million people as of 14 October 2020: 294.24

Our World in Data. 14 October 2020. "Cumulative Confirmed COVID-19 Cases per Million People." [Accessed 14 Oct. 2020]

• Number of deaths per million people as of 14 October 2020: 5.41

Our World in Data. 14 October 2020. "Cumulative Confirmed COVID-19 Deaths per Million People." [Accessed 14 Oct. 2020]

Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people (seven day rolling average) as of October 21, 2020

Data source: Our World in Data. 21 October 2020. "Daily New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases per Million People." [Accessed 21 Oct. 2020]

Breakdown by state/province/region

Number of confirmed cases, deaths, recoveries and active cases per state, as of 13 October 2020

States, including FCT, are arranged in descending order by number of total confirmed cases and then alphabetical order

Nigeria. 17 October 2020. Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). COVID-19 Situation Report 232. [Accessed 17 Oct. 2020]

Testing rate

The share of COVID-19 tests that are positive ("positive rate"*) (%)

Our World in Data. 20 October 2020. "Nigeria: The Share of COVID-19 Tests that Are Positive." [Accessed 21 Oct. 2020]

* According to the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Public health criteria to adjust public health and social measures in the context of COVID-19, published on 12 May 2020, “[l]ess than 5% of samples positive for COVID-19, at least for the last 2 weeks, assuming that surveillance for suspected cases is comprehensive,” is one of the indications that the epidemic is "controlled".

Government measures

• Our World in Data, an online academic resource that provides research and data on global challenges and development, and which is maintained by the University of Oxford's Martin Programme on Global Development and Global Change Data Lab, provides information and maps on global policy responses to the coronavirus pandemic addressing the following themes:
• School and workplace closures;
• Cancellation of public events and gatherings;
• Public information campaigns;
• Stay-at-home restrictions;
• International and domestic travel;
• Testing and contact tracing;
• Income support and debt relief.
• KPMG, a global network of independent member firms offering audit, tax and advisory services,  provides information on government and institution measures in response to COVID-19 in Nigeria, including:
• Tax measures;
• Employment-related measures (including food-related, healthcare related, social security, etc.);
• Economic stimulus measures;
• Other measures.
• The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) website’s Guidelines section contains the latest health guidance relating to school, businesses, and other public gatherings. The section also relays quarantine and travel guidelines.
• The NCDC website provides an Advisory section, which details the measures for the 3rd phase of the Eased Lockdown.

Entry/exit, quarantine measures and internal mobility

Refer to the United Nations (UN)'s World Food Programme (WFP) COVID-19 Global Travel Restrictions and Airline Information for the most up-to-date information on entry and exit restrictions, quarantine measures, and internal mobility in Nigeria.

The United Nations (UN)'s International Organization for Migration (IOM)'s Mobility Impacts COVID-19 portal provides regularly updated data on the restrictions and procedures applicable at specific points of entry (international and regional airports, border crossings and checkpoints).

Entry/exit

• The United Nations (UN)'s World Food Programme (WFP) COVID-19 Global Travel Restrictions and Airline Information provides the following summary of entry and exit restrictions, as reported by various sources:
• International commercial flights resumed in Abuja and Lagos on 5 September. UNHAS Ops still running. National land borders are not yet opened. The Nigerian Immigration Service announced the resumption of passport and migrant registration on 1 July.
• Nigerian government lifts ban on Emirates Airlines flights to, from Nigeria (AllAfrica, 01.10.2020).
• Government bars Air France, KLM Royal Dutch, Lufthansa, Etihad Airways, RwandAir, Air Namibia, Royal Air Maroc and TAAG Angola from entering country (CGTN Africa, 06.09.2020)

United Nations (UN). 14 October 2020. World Food Programme (WFP). "COVID-19 Global Travel Restrictions and Airline Information: Nigeria." [Accessed 14 Oct. 2020]

• The International Air Transport Association (IATA)'s COVID-19 Travel Regulations Map provides details on individuals for whom the international travel restrictions do not apply.

Quarantine measures/procedures at port-of-entry

• The United Nations (UN)'s World Food Programme (WFP) COVID-19 Global Travel Restrictions and Airline Information provides the following summary of procedures at arrival and quarantine measures, as reported by various sources:
• COVID-19 negative certification required for entering the country. Prior to departure, passengers travelling to Nigeria must complete the on-line pre-boarding health declaration at the Nigeria International Travel Portal. They must also have tested negative for COVID-19 within 120 hours of their departure to Nigeria, and have uploaded their PCR test certificate to the on-line Travel Portal. Passengers must also carry evidence of the test and result when they travel. Only a COVID-19 PCR test is acceptable to the Nigerian authorities. Also before travel, passengers must book and pay for a repeat PCR test for day 7 of their arrival in Nigeria at the Nigeria International Travel Portal– evidence of the booking will be required on arrival. On arrival all passengers will be screened by Port Health Officials and be required to provide full contact details, including their address in Nigeria.
• Passengers are subject to 14 days quarantine upon arrival. All new arrivals are expected to self-isolate at one location in the city of their arrival for 14 days where they will be remotely monitored by the Nigerian authorities. At the end of the 14-day period of self-isolation an exit interview will be conducted by Nigerian authorities. If the authorities are satisfied that there are no indications of COVID-19 they will authorise the release of the retained passport. Anyone that has developed symptoms of coronavirus during their travel or later tests positive will be managed according to national guidelines for COVID-19 treatment. This may require quarantine at a government-monitored treatment centre.

United Nations (UN). 14 October 2020. World Food Programme (WFP). "COVID-19 Global Travel Restrictions and Airline Information: Nigeria." [Accessed 14 Oct. 2020]

• The Nigerian Center for Disease Control provides the following advisory on measures taken upon arrival in Nigeria:
• Return passengers must show evidence of payment/appointment for a repeat PCR test, in-country
• Passengers will be cleared through the Nigeria Immigration System’s Migrants Identification Data Analysis System (MIDAS). Passenger’s biodata page and picture will be forwarded to all COVID-19 PCR Sample Collection Centers to enable proper identification before sample collection
• Return passengers must proceed on a 7-day self-isolation as per protocol and present at the designated sample collection sites on the 7th day of arrival.
• Positive cases will be managed based on National Guidelines for COVID-19 treatment.
• Passengers who test negative after 7 days will end self- isolation on the 8th day.

Nigeria. 15 October 2020. Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC). "Public Health Advisory on COVID-19." [Accessed 15 Oct. 2020]

Internal m​obility

• The United Nations (UN)'s World Food Programme (WFP) COVID-19 Global Travel Restrictions and Airline Information provides the following summary of internal restrictions, as reported by various sources:
• Domestic flights resumed.
• Most states in Nigeria have introduced their own restrictions on movement. All travellers and residents in Nigeria are encouraged to monitor announcements by the Nigerian authorities on further restrictions, which may be introduced at short notice.
• The Federal Government has relaxed the lockdown restrictions in place in Abuja and Lagos and replaced them with new requirements, including a nationwide daily night time curfew between 10:00pm and 04:00am and the mandatory use of face masks in public.

United Nations (UN). 14 October 2020. World Food Programme (WFP). "COVID-19 Global Travel Restrictions and Airline Information: Nigeria." [Accessed 14 Oct. 2020]