The Nigerian government on Wednesday lifted the nationwide midnight curfew that was imposed last year to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic as well as restrictions on parties, concerts, and other crowded activities reported Africa News.
In a statement issued on COVID-19, the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) said it has revised the social restrictions in line with the three established thematic areas of movement, industry, labor, and community activities.
The decision was taken after taking into consideration the reduced risk of importation of new variants, the availability of COVID-19 vaccines in the country, and the increasing number of vaccinated people in Nigeria and globally.
In May last year, the Nigerian government imposed a nationwide curfew to limit the spread of the coronavirus. It had also imposed a slew of other restrictions and reduced gatherings of religious groups and social functions, among others, to 50 percent attendance. Official engagements, meetings, and conferences were ordered to be held virtually.
In the latest guideline, the Nigerian government has urged the people to continue to comply with existing safety protocols like the use of face masks, regular hand washing, and social distancing to limit the spread of the virus.
“Patients with underlying ailments are advised to uphold the use of universal precaution which includes the use of face masks, avoid crowds, and frequent use of hand sanitizers,” the guideline read.
As of Tuesday evening, Nigeria reported 255,516 COVID-19 infections according to an update published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). About 3,142 people lost their lives due to the virus.
Nearly 6.3 percent of the total Nigerian population was fully vaccinated as of April 5, 2022, according to figures released by the authorities. The country has officially recorded less than 260,000 cases, including 3,142 deaths, since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.
