Nigeria Intensifies Ebola Surveillance at Abuja Airport Amid Regional Outbreak

The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja has stepped up health surveillance and public awareness measures following Nigeria’s heightened alert over the ongoing Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

As part of the response, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has strengthened passenger sensitisation and introduced stricter enforcement of health declaration requirements for eligible travellers arriving in the country.

The measures are designed to support the early identification of suspected cases, facilitate contact tracing and reduce the risk of Ebola being imported into Nigeria.

The development follows reports of Ebola activity in parts of Africa, including Kenya, where health authorities confirmed an imported case associated with the outbreak in eastern DRC.

According to Kenyan health officials, the patient, a Kenyan national who had spent seven years in the DRC, travelled by road from the DRC through Uganda before continuing to Nairobi by air.

He was subsequently taken to a health facility and isolated after developing symptoms that reportedly included fever, chills and bleeding beneath the skin.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP, the spokesperson for the Abuja airport, Bishop Kunle, said extensive sensitisation was being carried out among passengers and airport personnel.

He explained that the airport was prepared to assist with passenger screening, monitoring and contact tracing whenever necessary.

Kunle added that passengers covered by the current public health advisory were being required to complete health declaration forms before leaving the airport.

The measures are being implemented in accordance with guidance issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), which placed the country on heightened alert following developments linked to the Ebola outbreak in the DRC.

The NCDC has also increased surveillance and preparedness activities after Kenya confirmed the imported Ebola case.

The confirmed infection was identified as being caused by the Bundibugyo virus, the same Ebola virus species associated with the ongoing outbreak in the DRC.

The development has raised concerns about the possibility of further international transmission, particularly through cross-border and international travel.

However, the NCDC said it was assessing the level of risk to Nigeria while working with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, public health experts and other relevant partners to strengthen the country’s preparedness.

The agency urged members of the public to remain vigilant and follow recommended preventive measures, particularly when travelling to or from areas affected by Ebola transmission.

NCDC Director-General, Jide Idris, said preparatory activities were already underway to improve Nigeria’s ability to respond should the country record a potential Ebola case.

According to Idris, the preparedness measures would continue to be reviewed as new information becomes available and as the epidemiological situation changes.

Under the enhanced surveillance arrangements, travellers arriving from countries with active or relevant Ebola transmission are required to complete the Health Declaration Form and comply with any follow-up measures prescribed by health officials.

The NCDC clarified that, at the time of its advisory, travellers arriving from countries outside the specified areas were not required to complete the form.

The agency also advised travellers to provide accurate information about their travel history and any possible exposure to Ebola when interacting with health officials.

Reuters reported that Uganda had previously recorded 20 Ebola cases and two deaths before being declared Ebola-free in August. A doctor who travelled to France from the DRC in June also tested positive for Ebola, although no further transmission was reported in connection with that case.

Available data on the DRC outbreak showed that, as of September 20, 2026, a total of 7,672 confirmed cases and 3,699 deaths had been recorded, based on information available up to September 19.

The figures also indicated that 886 confirmed patients were being treated in isolation, while 1,879 people infected with the Bundibugyo virus had recovered.

Compared with the previous report issued on September 19, the latest figures represented an additional 58 confirmed cases and 23 deaths.

Ituri Province recorded the largest number of newly reported cases, with 38, while North Kivu recorded 14. Haut-Uélé reported five new cases and Tshopo recorded one.

The report further showed that 79.9 per cent of identified contacts of confirmed cases in the affected provinces were being monitored through follow-up measures.

The NCDC said its decision to strengthen surveillance in Nigeria was based on an ongoing risk assessment and consultations with public health specialists, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and other response partners.

The agency reiterated that it would continue to rely on surveillance, preparedness and evidence-based response measures to protect Nigerians from emerging infectious disease threats.