President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, alongside the immediate release of ₦10 billion as emergency intervention funding.
The funding is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s preparedness systems through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), while also enhancing national capacity for rapid response to potential outbreaks.
The Presidential Task Force will be chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, with membership drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as state representatives.
The move follows renewed concerns over Ebola outbreaks recently reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, raising fears of possible cross-border transmission within the region.
According to government sources, the decision was reached after a stakeholder meeting chaired by the Chief of Staff, where Nigeria’s preparedness level and containment strategies were reviewed.
Key agencies present included the Ministry of Interior, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Lagos State Government, and other relevant stakeholders.
President Tinubu also directed all states with international airports and major border corridors to submit detailed preparedness plans, funding requirements, and intervention needs for coordinated national action.
The Task Force has been mandated to intensify passenger screening at international airports, strengthen temperature checks, and enforce improved crowd-control protocols.
Other measures include enhanced monitoring of passengers arriving from high-risk routes, activation of isolation and referral centres at Lagos and Abuja airports, and implementation of mandatory health declaration systems for travellers from affected regions.
Authorities are also expected to disinfect airport facilities, regulate flight operations from high-risk countries where necessary, and designate specific terminals for controlled screening processes.
The Federal Government says the measures are precautionary, aimed at preventing any importation of Ebola into Nigeria while reinforcing national health security systems.
