Nigeria's health minister Osagie Ehanire on Wednesday confirmed two new cases of Covid-19, bringing the national total to 46. 

Ehanire said the new cases both had a recent international travel history, adding that Lagos alone accounted for 30 cases of the coronavirus now taking its toll on Nigeria and many other countries around the world after first emerging in China in December.

Ehanire urged all citizens to abide by the precautionary measures put in place to combat the virus.

"We must take responsibility, the importance of self-isolation & social distancing cannot be over stressed: you reduce chances of exposure & of spreading Covid-19 to family and friends, you reduce no. of contacts and reduce resources needed for contact-tracing." he said via his Twitter account.

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed that both cases were travellers who returned to the country in the last seven days.

Two people with the virus have been discharged while one person has died.

The Nigerian government has announced a series of measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 following a sharp rise in cases and the country's first death, Premium Times reported.

The paper said the country had placed a travel ban on 15 high-risk Covid-19 countries and also shut all its borders. 

Several state governors have given orders forbidding gatherings of more than 50 people, including in religious houses, night-clubs and schools.