Nigeria tightens border controls over Ebola outbreak

In response to a rapidly escalating Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, the Nigerian government has activated high-level emergency surveillance across all international airports and land borders.

The move follows the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration of the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a “public health emergency of international concern” on Saturday.

The regional situation has deteriorated quickly, with suspected cases in the DRC and Uganda surging from 246 to 500 within just 96 hours, a 103% increase. The death toll has reached 131, with confirmed cases already reported in Kampala, Uganda’s capital.

Health experts are particularly concerned because the outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, a variant of the virus for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific drug treatment.

Despite the growing regional threat, Jide Idris, Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), assured the public that “Nigeria currently has no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease”.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, echoed this on Wednesday, stating that all necessary precautionary measures have been activated to strengthen national preparedness.

“While Nigeria currently has no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), the Federal Government is taking all necessary proactive measures to strengthen national preparedness, surveillance, and coordination mechanisms to protect the health and wellbeing of Nigerians,” the minister said, according to BusinessDay.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have introduced stringent health screening protocols. In a circular dated May 18, the NCAA directed airlines to intensify surveillance, requiring pilots to notify Air Traffic Control of any suspected communicable diseases onboard.

Travellers arriving from high-risk regions are now subject to intensified monitoring, symptom screening, and potential isolation. Airlines are also mandated to ensure passengers complete locator forms to facilitate contact tracing if necessary.

Beyond aviation, the federal government is collaborating with Port Health Services to tighten checks at all entry points. Enhanced measures include strengthened laboratory diagnostic capacity, reinforced infection prevention protocols in health facilities, and increased coordination with state ministries of health.

Health officials are urging Nigerians to remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation. The public is advised to maintain regular hand hygiene, avoid contact with the bodily fluids of sick persons, and report any unusual illness to health facilities immediately.

Healthcare workers have been placed on high alert, instructed to maintain a “high index of suspicion” and adhere strictly to isolation protocols for suspected cases. While Nigeria remains Ebola-free, authorities emphasize that continued vigilance is critical to safeguarding national health security.