DEATH IN TRANSIT: 16 Nigerians Die In Addis Ababa, Govt Warns Sick Citizens Against Ethiopia Stopover

● The advisory, issued on Friday, November 13, 2026, by the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about Addis Ababa, a city sitting roughly 2,355 metres (7,726 toes) above sea degree

A routine flight connection has turned lethal for 16 Nigerians this 12 months, prompting the Federal Government to challenge an pressing journey advisory warning residents with underlying well being circumstances to suppose twice earlier than transiting by means of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.

The advisory, issued on Friday, November 13, 2026, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, revealed that Nigeria’s Diplomatic Mission in Addis Ababa has recorded 16 deaths involving Nigerians transiting by means of town, reportedly linked to well being problems related to excessive altitude.

The assertion, signed by ministry spokesperson Oluwafemi Adeniyi and referenced MFA/PR/2026/297, didn’t disclose the identities of the deceased, their underlying medical circumstances or the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

At the guts of the warning is geography. Addis Ababa sits roughly 2,355 metres (7,726 toes) above sea degree, making it one of many highest-altitude capitals on the planet.

“Addis Ababa is situated approximately 2,355 metres (7,726 feet) above sea level, where lower atmospheric pressure results in reduced oxygen availability,” the ministry mentioned, explaining why a metropolis that appears atypical on arrival can quietly pressure the human physique.

For most wholesome travellers, the physique adapts. But for these with cardiovascular and respiratory sicknesses, the thinner air will be harmful. “While healthy individuals are generally able to adapt to reduced oxygen levels in high-altitude environments, persons with certain pre-existing medical ailments, particularly cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, may experience increased health risks in such conditions,” the ministry warned.

Medical specialists say signs can escalate from delicate discomfort, resembling persistent complications, fatigue, and shortness of breath, to extreme, life-threatening circumstances together with cerebral oedema, or mind swelling.

Beyond the atypical; Grief As MAPOLY Ex-Lecturer, Femi Adiro, Dies

On-Field Collision: Goalkeeper Owono Suspended For 12 Matches Over De Miguel’s Death

Tinubu Govt Under Fire Over Journalist’s Remand

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention equally advises travellers with coronary artery illness, continual pulmonary illness and different circumstances affecting oxygen ranges to seek the advice of physicians acquainted with high-altitude medication earlier than travelling to elevated locations.

The hazard is magnified by Addis Ababa’s significance to Nigerian travellers. Its Bole International Airport is the primary hub of Ethiopian Airlines and a serious connecting level for travellers between Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

In reality, Addis Ababa Bole International Airport ranked third amongst Africa’s busiest airports by departing seats, recording 1.17 million seats, up 5.5% from 1.11 million in December 2024, underscoring what number of Nigerians routinely go by means of town with out ever leaving the airport.

Despite the sobering figures, the Federal Government was emphatic that the discover just isn’t a journey ban. “The Federal Government wishes to emphasise that this advisory is not intended to discourage Nigerians from transiting through or travelling to Addis Ababa,” the assertion mentioned.

Instead, it urged weak travellers to hunt skilled medical clearance earlier than reserving itineraries by means of the hub, stressing that the advisory “aims to ensure that persons who may be medically vulnerable to the physiological effects of high altitudes are adequately informed and encouraged to take necessary precautions before embarking on their journeys.”

NOP NIGERIA