Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, as at end of June 2020 was Africa’s third most impacted country only behind South Africa and Egypt.
As Africa’s biggest economy, the federal government has continued to enforce regulations across the board even though most state governments have moved to relax restrictions.
The national response is led by the Presidential Task Force, PTF, led by SGF Boss Mustapha along with a national coordinator and relevant ministers – chief among them, Health, Foreign Affairs and Education ministries. At the heart of the response is the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC.
This article is dedicated to covering events from the country throughout the month of July. Our May 2020 page and June 2020 coverage also gives you a rundown of major developments.
July 8: 30,249 cases; China knocks busybody lawyers
Nigeria crossed the 30,000 mark on Tuesday when the NCDC reported that caseload had hit 30,249 in pattern with an increase of above 400 cases daily.
Government also announced that federal schools will not be reopened whiles regional examination for final year students have also been cancelled.
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu addressing the media at the PTF briefing in Abuja said the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) cannot determine the resumption date of schools for Nigeria.
Subsequently, no Nigerian school will participate in the WASSCE earlier scheduled for August 5 to September 5. Adamu stressed that he would prefer that Nigerian students lose an academic year than to expose them to dangers. Ghana has said it will go ahead with the examinations.
The Chinese embassy on Tuesday also took a swipe at a group of lawyers that filed a suit seeking damages against China over the coronavirus pandemic.
A statement by the press secretary of the Embassy of China in Nigeria called the action “frivolous” and “shoddy.” It argued that China put its best food forward at the outset of the pandemic and that it was equally impacted as any other nation.
“COVID-19 has caught the whole world by surprise. China, like other countries is a victim. Confronted by an unknown virus, we have acted responsibly to protect people’s life and health and safeguard global public health.”
It concluded by stressing its victimhood and called on the lawyers to engage in actions that boost ties between the two nations rather than dance to the tune of a certain unnamed country to “hype up the situation.”
Confirmed cases = 30,249
Active cases = 17,192
Recoveries = 12,373
Number of deaths = 6684
John Hopkins Uni stats valid as of July 7, 2020
Statement by Press Secretary of the Embassy on some Nigerian lawyers’ attempt of filing frivolous lawsuits. pic.twitter.com/decFormTiX— Chinese Embassy in Nigeria (@china_emb_ng) July 8, 2020
July 8: 29,789 cases; domestic flights restart
Domestic flights started operations in the country after months of suspension. The restart is according to the federal government’s three-tier reopening scheme announced by aviation minister Hadi S
