The Federal Government has intensified surveillance and emergency preparedness measures following renewed Ebola outbreaks in parts of Africa, including a confirmed imported case in Uganda and ongoing infections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The government, through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, said it is closely monitoring developments and strengthening response systems across the country to prevent any possible spread into Nigeria.
In a public health advisory issued on Sunday and signed by the Director-General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, the agency assured Nigerians that proactive measures had already been activated.
According to the NCDC, health authorities are working with the Port Health Services and other relevant agencies to ensure that the country remains prepared in case the disease spreads further within the region.
“Response activities are ongoing in affected areas, and we are ensuring continued vigilance within Nigeria’s public health system,” Idris stated.
The agency explained that surveillance systems for Ebola and other epidemic-prone diseases have been strengthened nationwide.
It also said event-based monitoring has been intensified in collaboration with state ministries of health and other public health stakeholders.
According to the advisory, the NCDC has also improved laboratory readiness and diagnostic capacity to ensure faster detection of suspected Ebola cases if they occur in Nigeria.
Other preventive measures introduced include stronger infection prevention and control awareness in hospitals and healthcare centres, as well as expanded public awareness campaigns across communities.
The agency said it is maintaining close monitoring of regional and global developments related to the disease.
“Response activities are ongoing in affected areas, and we are ensuring continued vigilance within Nigeria’s public health system,” the statement added.
Health officials noted that the current alert became necessary because of the movement of people across African borders, especially through air travel and trade activities.
Nigeria shares strong economic and travel connections with several African countries, making surveillance at airports, land borders and seaports especially important during disease outbreaks.
The NCDC explained that Ebola has an incubation period of between two and 21 days, meaning infected persons may not immediately show symptoms after exposure to the virus.
According to health experts, Ebola Virus Disease is a severe and often deadly illness caused by a virus transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood, sweat, saliva, urine or other secretions.
The disease can also spread through contact with contaminated objects or surfaces.
Symptoms of Ebola commonly include fever, weakness, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.
Health authorities say early detection and isolation of infected persons remain critical in controlling outbreaks.
The latest warning from the NCDC has revived memories of Nigeria’s successful response during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when the country recorded imported cases linked to a Liberian-American traveller who arrived in Lagos.
At the time, swift action by health officials, contact tracing teams and emergency response workers helped Nigeria contain the outbreak within a short period.
The country was later internationally praised for preventing what could have become a major public health disaster in Africa’s most populous nation.
The outbreak in West Africa between 2014 and 2016 remains one of the deadliest Ebola epidemics in history, killing more than 11,000 people across countries including Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Since then, African countries and international health organisations have continued strengthening disease surveillance and emergency response systems to prevent future outbreaks from spreading widely.
The World Health Organization, WHO, and other global health agencies have repeatedly warned that Ebola outbreaks remain a major public health threat in parts of Africa because the virus can spread rapidly if not detected early.
In Nigeria, the NCDC has in recent years expanded its emergency operations centres, laboratory networks and disease tracking systems to improve response to infectious diseases.
The agency gained wider public attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, where it coordinated national surveillance, testing and public awareness campaigns.
Apart from Ebola, the NCDC also monitors other infectious diseases such as cholera, Lassa fever, monkeypox and meningitis, which continue to affect different parts of the country.
Medical professionals also urged healthcare workers to remain alert and strictly observe infection prevention measures while handling patients.
The NCDC reassured Nigerians that there is currently no confirmed Ebola case in the country, but stressed that preparedness remains necessary because of the unpredictable nature of infectious disease outbreaks.
The agency urged the public not to panic but to remain informed and cooperate with health authorities.
As health officials continue monitoring developments in East and Central Africa, authorities say efforts will remain focused on early detection, rapid response and public awareness to ensure the country stays protected against the deadly virus.