President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the creation of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, alongside the release of N10 billion in emergency funding aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s readiness to respond to potential disease outbreaks.
The intervention fund is expected to enhance the operational capacity of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support key public health emergency response initiatives across the country.
The newly established task force will be chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and will comprise representatives from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as state governments.
The decision follows growing concerns over the recent resurgence of Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, prompting the federal government to intensify measures to prevent the virus from entering Nigeria.
President Tinubu’s approval came after a high-level stakeholders’ meeting chaired by the Chief of Staff, where participants reviewed the country’s preparedness framework and discussed strategies to mitigate the risk of Ebola importation.
The meeting brought together representatives from several key institutions, including the Ministry of Interior, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Lagos State Government, among others.
As part of the national response strategy, the President directed states hosting international airports and major border entry points, as well as relevant government agencies, to submit detailed preparedness plans, funding needs, and intervention proposals for coordinated implementation.
Among the immediate measures approved are intensified passenger screening procedures at international airports, enhanced temperature monitoring, and improved crowd management protocols.
Authorities will also increase surveillance of passengers arriving through routes considered high-risk, including flights operated by airlines serving countries with elevated Ebola concerns.
The government further ordered the immediate activation of referral and isolation facilities at the international airports in Lagos and Abuja, with similar arrangements to be expanded to other airports nationwide.
Additional preventive measures include the mandatory use of QR code-based health declaration systems for travellers arriving from or transiting through designated high-risk countries. Airport facilities, including departure halls, baggage handling areas, and cargo sections, will also undergo regular disinfection as part of strengthened environmental safety protocols.
President Tinubu also instructed the advisory team to engage security agencies, aviation regulators, and diplomatic authorities to review and recommend appropriate measures regarding travel from affected countries.
The task force has been mandated to consider the designation of specific terminals or airports for flights originating from high-risk locations to facilitate controlled screening and isolation procedures. It will also assess the possibility of adjusting flight schedules where necessary to reduce interaction between high-risk passengers and other travellers.
The federal government said the measures are aimed at safeguarding public health and ensuring Nigeria remains prepared to respond swiftly to any emerging disease threat.