The Federal Government has stepped up health surveillance measures at the nation’s airports, seaports and land entry points as part of efforts to prevent the possible importation of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) into the country.
Authorities also disclosed that travellers considered high-risk or exhibiting symptoms linked to Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic fevers will undergo additional screening, isolation and referral protocols where necessary.
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The move follows increasing concern over the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in parts of East and Central Africa and forms part of Nigeria’s broader disease prevention and preparedness strategy.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Assistant Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ado Bako, the government assured Nigerians that no Ebola case has been recorded in the country but noted that precautionary measures have been intensified nationwide.
The ministry stated that although Nigeria remains free of confirmed Ebola infections, the Federal Government has activated enhanced preparedness mechanisms to protect public health and strengthen national health security.
According to the statement, border surveillance remains a key aspect of the response strategy, with health officials directed to tighten screening and risk evaluation procedures for all arriving passengers.
Measures introduced include compulsory temperature checks using thermal scanners and handheld thermometers, completion of health declaration forms, assessment of travel history and enhanced risk profiling at designated points of entry.
The ministry explained that authorities had implemented reinforced traveller screening and risk assessment procedures while also establishing secondary screening, isolation and referral systems for individuals displaying symptoms associated with viral haemorrhagic diseases.
The development marks a return to heightened border monitoring similar to measures adopted during previous health emergencies, including the 2014 Ebola outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic.
To improve early detection capabilities, the government said disease surveillance activities had been strengthened across the country through enhanced Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) mechanisms, active public health monitoring and community-based surveillance networks.
The ministry noted that surveillance systems are being expanded nationwide to facilitate the prompt identification and reporting of any suspected Ebola case.
It also revealed that Public Health Emergency Operations Centres have been activated, while Rapid Response Teams at both national and state levels remain on standby.
As part of efforts to prepare the healthcare sector for any potential outbreak, hospitals and clinics have been instructed to reinforce infection prevention measures, improve patient triage systems and ensure immediate reporting of suspected cases.
Healthcare facilities were further advised to maintain a high level of alert for symptoms associated with viral haemorrhagic fevers, promptly isolate suspected patients and comply with established reporting procedures.
The ministry urged Nigerians to remain calm, emphasising that the enhanced measures are preventive and designed to ensure the country is adequately prepared.
Citizens were also advised to practise regular hand hygiene, avoid contact with bodily fluids of individuals showing symptoms of illness, refrain from handling dead animals or bushmeat from uncertain sources, and report unusual illnesses or deaths to health authorities without delay.
Reps raise concern over NCDC funding shortfall
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has expressed alarm over what lawmakers described as a severe funding crisis affecting the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), warning that the situation could undermine the country’s preparedness for Ebola and other infectious disease outbreaks.
The concern followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Amobi Ogah, who represents Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State.
While presenting the motion, Ogah said recent Ebola developments in Central Africa underscored the need for Nigeria to reinforce its disease surveillance and emergency response capacity.
He recalled that the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported an Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain in the Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo on May 15, 2026.
According to him, the outbreak presents a potential public health threat to several African countries, including Nigeria.
Ogah further noted that on May 25, 2026, the NCDC placed Nigeria on heightened alert and announced a range of preparedness measures to guard against the possible importation of the disease.
However, he questioned whether the agency could effectively carry out those responsibilities amid serious financial challenges.
The lawmaker lamented that the NCDC reportedly received no operational funding in 2025 and that no capital releases had been made against its approved 2026 budget allocation.
He also described overhead releases to the agency as irregular and grossly inadequate, arguing that the situation falls short of international standards and undermines the provisions of the Appropriation Acts.
Ogah warned that dwindling government support and declining donor funding have significantly weakened Nigeria’s public health emergency response system.
According to him, the financial constraints have hampered critical functions including disease surveillance, outbreak response, laboratory operations, logistics management and emergency preparedness activities.
He further painted a troubling picture of the agency’s situation, citing unpaid contractors, stalled laboratory and treatment facility projects, shortages of diagnostic supplies, inadequate biosafety infrastructure and limited emergency response capacity.
The lawmaker disclosed that laboratory reagents, consumables and other essential materials required for disease testing and outbreak detection were nearly exhausted.
Nigeria earned global recognition for successfully containing the Ebola outbreak that entered the country in 2014 through an infected traveller from Liberia.
Public health experts have consistently maintained that sustaining such capacity requires continuous investment in surveillance systems, laboratory infrastructure and emergency preparedness programmes.
Following the adoption of the motion, the House called on the Executive to immediately release adequate funds appropriated for the NCDC to enable it clear outstanding obligations and sustain uninterrupted operations.
Lawmakers also urged port health authorities to strengthen border surveillance and screening procedures to prevent infected individuals from entering the country.
In addition, the House directed its Committee on Infectious Diseases to monitor how released funds are utilised and report back for further legislative action, while the Committee on Legislative Compliance was tasked with ensuring full implementation of the resolutions.
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