The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of its capacity to contain the Ebola outbreak, saying surveillance systems, contact tracing and isolation measures have been activated following the detection of an imported case in the country.
The assurance was given on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, by the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, Femi Gbajabiamila, after an emergency meeting of the task force at the State House, Abuja.
Gbajabiamila, who is also the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, said the task force and relevant government agencies had been working behind the scenes since its inauguration in June to strengthen the country’s preparedness for Ebola and other emerging public health threats.
He attributed the early identification of the reported case to surveillance systems and established health protocols, noting that the infected passenger initially showed no symptoms.
According to him, the symptoms developed four days after the woman arrived in Abuja, while the identification process enabled health authorities to detect the infection.
Gbajabiamila said approximately 44,000 flights had travelled into and out of Nigeria since concerns about Ebola emerged in June, stressing that the country’s surveillance and preparedness measures had been critical to its response.
He assured Nigerians that the task force would strengthen existing protocols and enforce public health measures more rigorously to prevent further transmission.
He said, “The Task Force is on top of it. NCDC is on top of it; everyone is on deck”, urging citizens to cooperate with health authorities and avoid panic.
He also emphasised the importance of building public trust, describing the response as a joint responsibility between the government and the people.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said Nigeria had competent public health authorities and established surveillance systems capable of responding to the outbreak.
Pate said the government had commenced contact tracing and was isolating people who had been in contact with the reported imported case.
He added that the Federal Government, working with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), had activated an incident management system covering the various aspects of the response.
According to the minister, health facilities and response capabilities have also been activated, while states are being mobilised to implement their preparedness plans.
He expressed confidence that Nigeria could contain the outbreak if the established measures were sustained, but warned that authorities would not relax their efforts.
Pate urged Nigerians to comply with public health directives and refrain from spreading misinformation and unverified claims that could trigger unnecessary panic.
He also expressed confidence in the country’s public health professionals, citing their experience in managing Ebola during the 2014 outbreak and contributing to response efforts in other countries.
The emergency meeting brought together officials from the health, aviation, immigration and other relevant sectors, alongside representatives of international health organisations.
Those physically present included the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Bunmi Kuku; WHO representative Pavel Ursu; and Africa CDC Special Regional Representative to the Director-General, Dr Aliko Ahmed.
Other participants included FCT Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment, Dr Dolapo Fasawe, and Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee at the State House Medical Centre, Dr Victoria Ogala.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi; and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority Director of Operations, Licensing and Training Standards, Captain Donald Spiff, also participated virtually.
The Federal Government said the coordinated response would continue, with emphasis on early detection, contact tracing, isolation, public cooperation and stronger surveillance to limit the risk of further transmission.
The government’s assurance comes as health authorities continue efforts to monitor exposed individuals and contain the reported case.
