The Federal Government has strengthened health surveillance at airports, seaports and land borders across the country as part of efforts to prevent the importation of Ebola Virus Disease following a fresh outbreak reported in parts of Central and East Africa.
Authorities said travellers identified as high-risk or showing symptoms associated with Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic fevers would undergo additional screening, isolation and referral procedures where necessary.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the government reassured Nigerians that no Ebola case had been recorded in the country but noted that precautionary measures had been activated nationwide to safeguard public health.
“The ministry wishes to reassure Nigerians that there is presently no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria.
However, in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening national health security and preventing cross-border disease transmission, heightened preparedness measures have been activated nationwide,” the statement read.
According to the ministry, health officials at designated points of entry have been directed to intensify screening procedures, including temperature checks, travel history assessments, health declaration reviews and risk profiling of incoming travellers.
The ministry disclosed that enhanced surveillance systems had also been activated across the country to improve early detection of suspected cases.
Among the measures introduced are strengthened Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response activities, expanded community-based monitoring networks and active tracking of public health alerts.
It further stated that Public Health Emergency Operations Centres had been activated while Rapid Response Teams at both national and state levels had been placed on standby.
“Healthcare facilities nationwide have also been advised to maintain a high index of suspicion for viral haemorrhagic fevers, strengthen triage systems, promptly isolate suspected cases, and adhere strictly to established reporting protocols,” the ministry stated.
The government urged citizens to remain calm, stressing that the measures were preventive rather than a response to any confirmed outbreak within the country.
Nigerians were also advised to maintain proper hand hygiene, avoid contact with bodily fluids of sick individuals, refrain from handling dead animals or bushmeat from uncertain sources and promptly report unusual illnesses or deaths to health authorities.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has expressed concern over what lawmakers described as a severe funding challenge facing the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, warning that the agency’s emergency response capacity could be weakened if urgent action is not taken.
The concern followed a motion sponsored by the lawmaker representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State, Amobi Ogah, who highlighted the growing risk posed by the recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ogah recalled that the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported an outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the DRC’s Ituri Province on May 15, 2026, while the NCDC subsequently placed Nigeria on alert over the possibility of imported cases.
The lawmaker, however, questioned whether the agency possessed the financial resources needed to sustain adequate preparedness.
“It is known that the NCDC received no operational funding in 2025, with no capital releases made to date against the approved 2026 allocation.
Furthermore, the overhead releases are highly epileptic and grossly inadequate. How then can the preparedness of the centre for emergencies be guaranteed?” he asked.
He warned that dwindling government releases and declining donor support had significantly affected the country’s disease surveillance and emergency response systems.
According to him, the prolonged funding gap has disrupted critical functions, including outbreak response operations, laboratory services, logistics coordination and emergency preparedness efforts.
“It is extremely disturbing to note that, at present, this prolonged funding gap has critically constrained core national functions, including outbreak response operations, laboratory services, surveillance systems, logistics coordination, and frontline emergency preparedness activities in Nigeria,” Ogah said.
He added that shortages of laboratory reagents and diagnostic materials, unpaid contractors, stalled treatment centre projects and weak biosafety infrastructure were among the challenges confronting the agency.
“Laboratory reagents, consumables, and other materials critical for outbreak screening and diagnosis are almost completely out of stock,” he stated.
Following the adoption of the motion, the House called on the Federal Government to immediately release funds appropriated for the NCDC to enable it to meet its obligations and strengthen preparedness against potential disease outbreaks.
Lawmakers also urged port health authorities to intensify surveillance and screening activities at all entry points into the country.
The House Committee on Infectious Diseases was mandated to monitor the utilisation of any funds released to the agency, while the Committee on Legislative Compliance was directed to ensure implementation of the resolutions.
Nigeria earned global commendation for successfully containing the 2014 Ebola outbreak, and public health experts have repeatedly stressed the need for sustained investment in surveillance systems, laboratory networks and emergency response infrastructure to maintain that level of preparedness.
