The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Thursday said the resumption of international flights had now been shifted to September 5.

Director-General of the NCAA, Musa Shuaibu Nuhu, revealed the news during a Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing in Abuja.

He said while airlines and airports were ready to operate, other non-aviation logistics prompted the one-week extension.

He said: "Regret to announce that the international flight resumption earlier scheduled to resume on 29th August has been shifted to 5th September 2020."

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"We have other non-aviation logistics we are still working on, mostly the COVID-19 protocol tests and online platform, we need to get this ready.”

Nuhu described September 5 as sacrosanct and remarked that the initial announcement was that flight resumption would be anytime from the 29th.

“In due course, we will be announcing the protocols for the resumption and we will be giving further details,” he said. “Hopefully early next week, we will release this,” the Director-General said.

Airports have been closed since March 23 to all but essential international flights as part of the country’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika said four flights would begin landing daily in commercial hub Lagos, and four in the capital Abuja from Aug. 29.