Nigeria’s economic hub Lagos State and the country’s capital city Abuja have the highest numbers. While Lagos recorded 62 new cases, Abuja recorded 52 new cases.

The spread of the virus further intensified in Kaduna as the state recorded 31 new cases.

Sokoto recorded 13 new cases while Kebbi state has 10 new cases, NCDC also announced nine new cases in Yobe State.

Borno recorded six new cases as Edo and Bauchi states got five new cases each. Oyo, Gombe and Enugu recorded a tally of four cases each and Zamfara state got three new cases.

Nasarawa, Osun, Ebonyi, Kwara, Kano and Plateau states all recorded two new cases according to the NCDC.

In total, Nigeria has now confirmed 2388 cases of COVID19, discharged 385 persons, while 85 persons have died.

Nigeria will begin a “phased and gradual” easing of more than four weeks of lockdowns in the national capital and the largest city on May 4, President Muhammadu Buhari said in an address on Monday.

Lagos and Ogun states and the federal capital territory of Abuja entered lockdowns to tame the spread of the new coronavirus on March 30.

Buhari said the lockdowns had come at a “very heavy economic cost,” stripping many citizens of their livelihoods.

“No country can afford the full impact of a sustained lockdown while awaiting the development of vaccines,” Buhari said.

The federal government will enforce a ban on non-essential movement between Nigeria’s 36 states, a measure the governors’ forum had requested.