Following the report of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron by South African scientists, Nigeria has been added the UK red list; countries placed on a travel ban.
The British High Commission has suspended all visitor visa applications from all red list countries, including Nigeria.
“To support the UK government’s aim to protect public health from COVID-19 and associated variants of concern (VOC), UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) will pause making decisions on visitor visa applications in all red list countries, including Nigeria, until travel restrictions are lifted,” the high commission said in a statement.
Additionally, from Sunday, 5th December 2021, all British citizens and residents travelling from Nigeria into the UK are mandated to pay £2,285 (for 1 adult) for a 10-day quarantine at a UK-government-approved hotel.
There is an “additional rate for adult (or child over 11)” at £1,430, while an “additional rate for a child aged 5 to 11” is £325. Quarantine costs do not apply to children under five.
On the other hand, the Canadian Government has equally stated that it is no longer accepting COVID-19 test results from Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
Nigerian Federal Government is yet to respond to these travel bans and its omicron testing capacity.
