Coronavirus: Private jet bookings spike in Nigeria

Private jet charter companies in Nigeria have told the BBC that they have experienced a spike in bookings in the last two weeks as countries around the world impose travel restrictions to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

From Saturday, people from 13 of the worst-hit countries will not be allowed into Nigeria.

ExecuJet, which is an umbrella company for private jet operators in Nigeria, says bookings for international journeys have more than doubled in the last two weeks as its workers try to abide by safety measures put in place by the country’s health officials.

Head of operations at ExecuJet, Victor Mbachi, says most of the bookings from abroad have been from Nigerians trying to come home while those from within Nigeria are from foreigners trying to leave the country.

It is the same situation with Stargate Jets, a Lagos-based private jet charter company operating both domestic and international routes.

A representative of the company told the BBC that the company had also experienced the “unusual increase in bookings”.

On a normal week the company receives between one or two bookings, but in the last two weeks, it has had between 10 and 12 bookings.

Those coming into the country in private jets are not exempted from the mandatory screening of passengers arriving in Nigeria.