The Nigerian government on Monday extended the gradual easing of the lockdown by two weeks as a measure to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

According to Boss Mustapha, secretary to the Nigerian government, in spite of the modest progress made, Nigeria is still not ready for a full reopening of its economy.

On April 27, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari approved a phased and gradual easing of lockdown measures in the capital city of Abuja, Lagos, the commercial hub, and Ogun in the southwest region from May 4, as the country continued to navigate the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government aims for a situation whereby the measures put in place would yield sufficient progress, Mustapha said.

The total number of Covid-19 cases in the most populous African country stood at 5,959, and 182 deaths as of Monday, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.