President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved ₦10 billion in emergency funding to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness against Ebola and other emerging public health threats, appointing his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to chair a presidential task force.
The approval, announced by the Presidency on June 9, 2026, was intended to strengthen the operational capacity of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and improve the country’s ability to detect and contain potential outbreaks.
However, the situation has since escalated. Nigeria confirmed its first case of Ebola disease on October 20, following an outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its spread to other countries.
The development has heightened concerns about the country’s preparedness, particularly its capacity to prevent further transmission and rapidly identify people who may have been exposed to the virus.
According to international health authorities, the confirmed Nigerian case involves a woman who travelled from Uganda to Nigeria. She developed symptoms on October 7, sought medical attention in Abuja on October 11, and tested positive on October 20.
As of October 22, health authorities had identified 44 close contacts who were being monitored, while investigations into the source of infection and possible exposure continued.
The presidential task force was established to coordinate preparations across federal and state institutions, following a high-level meeting involving relevant ministries, government agencies and representatives of states with international airports and border corridors.
Tinubu directed the affected states and relevant agencies to submit detailed response plans, budgets and operational requirements to support a coordinated national strategy.
The measures announced in June included intensified passenger screening at international airports, enhanced temperature checks and improved crowd-control procedures.
The government also ordered the activation of referral and isolation centres at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, with similar arrangements planned for other international airports.
Additional measures included a QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration system for passengers originating from or transiting through designated high-risk countries.
Airport authorities were also directed to disinfect departure halls, cargo facilities, baggage-handling areas and other critical sections as part of preventive measures.
The task force was further instructed to consider designating specific airports or terminals for high-risk flights and adjusting flight schedules to reduce contact between potentially exposed passengers and other travellers.
Following confirmation of the Nigerian case, Gbajabiamila said the task force had been working with health authorities and relevant agencies since June to strengthen surveillance and response arrangements.
The Presidency said the early identification of the case demonstrated the importance of the protocols introduced to detect and contain the disease.
The latest development places greater emphasis on contact tracing, isolation, laboratory testing, infection prevention and public communication to limit the risk of further transmission.
Ebola is a severe illness that can spread through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person who has developed symptoms, or through contaminated materials.
The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo virus, a species for which there is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment, making early detection, supportive medical care and effective infection-control measures particularly important.
The effectiveness of Nigeria’s response will depend on how quickly authorities trace and monitor contacts, maintain surveillance at points of entry, protect healthcare workers and ensure that adequate resources reach frontline response teams.
Although the ₦10 billion intervention was approved to strengthen preparedness, its impact will ultimately be measured by the transparency of its deployment, the effectiveness of emergency operations and the government’s ability to prevent further spread.
