The United Kingdom has omitted Nigeria from its list of countries with valid COVID-19 vaccine certificates.
This means fully vaccinated Nigerians travelling to the UK may still be required to isolate for 10 days on arrival in the country.
Nigeria was missing from the list despite not being on the UK’s COVID-19 red list. No other African country was on the list.
The UK, in a statement on Monday, said it was taking “a phased approach to recognising vaccines administered by other countries and territories, building on the success of the pilot with the U.S. and Europe.
“Fully vaccinated residents in other countries not yet part of the inbound policy, as well as those partially vaccinated, will still have to take a pre-departure test, PCR tests for day 2 and day 8 after arrival, and self-isolate for 10 days, with the option to test to release after 5 days.
“The UK government is continuing to work with international partners as we seek to more regularly expand the policy to further countries and territories.”
Last month, the Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr John Nkengasong said the UK’s stance could increase vaccine hesitancy across Africa.
“We do not understand why the UK has taken this position,” he said, adding that it was “a message that creates confusion within our population… creating more reticence, reluctance for people to receive vaccines.”
“This message doesn’t really speak to solidarity and co-operation that we all believe are the cornerstone and ingredients for us to emerge from this pandemic together.”
Meanwhile, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, has said the UK strongly supports the work of the Nigerian health authorities and the nation’s vaccination campaign.
Reacting to this development, Professor Ndubuisi Ekekwe of Tekedia Institute, Boston, USA wrote on LinkedIn, “Nigeria cannot just get a break from these countries. You tell us to buy vaccines…from you. We buy and administer. Now, you do not recognize that process. Yes, the “United Kingdom has omitted Nigeria from its list of countries with valid COVID-19 vaccine certificates…the decision means fully vaccinated Nigerians travelling to the UK will still get some of the treatments reserved for the unvaccinated, among them, observing the required 10 days isolation on arrival in the country.”
“Nigeria put itself in this position. Prof Njoku Obi as far back as 1970 invented the cholera vaccine which was later used to stop the Kano cholera outbreak. I mean Nigerian experts used to play in this league, big time.
“I do not know where to stop but if you check, respect comes when you fix your house. China got its own vaccines. Russia did. Imagine if Nigeria has got its own…these endless insults would fade. This nation needs to start working again!”
