Key points
- The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has classified Nigeria’s risk of importing Ebola Virus Disease as high amid outbreaks in parts of Africa.
- Lagos, FCT, Rivers, Kano and several border states have been categorised as high-risk areas requiring intensified surveillance and preparedness.
- The NCDC says Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed Ebola case linked to the current outbreak but has activated emergency response measures nationwide.
Main story
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has placed several states and the Federal Capital Territory on high Ebola preparedness alert following a fresh risk assessment that classified Nigeria’s risk of importing the disease as high.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, stressing that Nigeria had not recorded any confirmed Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) case linked to the current outbreak.
According to him, the decision followed the World Health Organization’s declaration of the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and the rising number of Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
Idris explained that the NCDC conducted a dynamic risk assessment to guide anticipatory and response measures, concluding that Nigeria’s extensive travel networks and regional population movement significantly increased the risk of Ebola importation.
He noted that the similarity between Ebola symptoms and endemic diseases such as malaria and Lassa fever could delay detection and increase transmission risks if surveillance systems were not strengthened.
The NCDC categorised Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba and Adamawa as high-risk states due to the presence of international airports, porous borders, and active trade or travel routes.
Moderate-risk states identified by the agency include Ogun, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Plateau, Kogi, Niger, Jigawa, Katsina, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Abia and Bayelsa.
Idris said all states and the FCT were expected to maintain Ebola preparedness measures, although interventions should reflect the varying levels of importation and transmission risks identified by the NCDC.
He explained that preparedness efforts were aimed at ensuring rapid detection, prompt isolation and effective management of suspected Ebola cases while protecting healthcare workers and maintaining essential health services.
According to the NCDC, health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda have reported 1,077 suspected Ebola cases and 247 deaths, with persons aged between 14 and 45 years most affected.
The agency further disclosed that the outbreak’s case fatality rate currently stands at 24.6 per cent.
Idris warned that no approved vaccines or specific treatments currently exist for Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease, making early public health interventions critical in preventing widespread transmission.
He explained that existing Ebola vaccines and monoclonal antibody therapies mainly target the Zaire ebolavirus strain and should not be considered effective against the current Bundibugyo strain affecting neighbouring countries.
The NCDC boss clarified that Ebola is not airborne and can only be transmitted through direct contact with blood, body fluids, contaminated materials or infected animals associated with symptomatic or deceased persons.
He added that the incubation period for Ebola ranges from two to 21 days, making travel history and exposure assessment critical in identifying suspected cases.
According to him, early symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, sore throat, rash, unexplained bleeding and signs of shock.
Idris cautioned healthcare workers against waiting for bleeding before suspecting Ebola, especially in patients with compatible symptoms and recent travel or exposure histories linked to affected countries.
He disclosed that the NCDC had activated its national Emergency Operations Centre in alert mode to coordinate preparedness activities with federal and state institutions nationwide.
The agency directed state governments and Commissioners for Health to ensure operational readiness across public and private health facilities, including strengthening screening systems, infection prevention protocols, ambulance services, laboratory sample handling and isolation centres.
Idris also called for intensified traveller monitoring and surveillance at airports, seaports, transport hubs and border communities while urging calm public communication to prevent panic and discourage misinformation.
He further instructed states to submit readiness updates within 72 hours and immediately report suspected cases, high-risk exposures or unusual febrile disease clusters.
The issues
The resurgence of Ebola outbreaks within the African region has heightened concerns over cross-border disease transmission, especially in countries with high travel volumes and porous borders. Public health experts warn that delayed detection, weak surveillance systems and inadequate preparedness could increase the risk of rapid transmission if imported cases occur.
What’s being said
The NCDC insists that Nigeria currently has no confirmed Ebola case linked to the outbreak but warns that the country remains vulnerable because of regional movement and international travel. Health authorities are urging states to strengthen preparedness systems and healthcare workers to maintain high suspicion levels for suspected cases.
What’s next
The NCDC is expected to continue nationwide surveillance, risk assessment and coordination with state governments, healthcare institutions and international partners. States categorised as high-risk are likely to intensify traveller monitoring, emergency response readiness and public health awareness campaigns.
Bottom line
Although Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed Ebola case linked to the ongoing regional outbreak, the NCDC says heightened preparedness, rapid detection and coordinated public health response remain critical to preventing a potential outbreak within the country.
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