The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention) has issued a nationwide Ebola emergency watch, placing Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and several other states on heightened surveillance following the emergence of the deadly Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease in parts of East and Central Africa.
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In a national public health advisory circulated to state commissioners for health and relevant authorities, the agency warned that Nigeria faces an elevated risk of virus importation due to increased regional transmission, cross-border movement, international travel routes, and porous frontier entry points.
Dated May 27, 2026, the alert comes amid escalating concern over the Bundibugyo variant of Ebola, a rare and highly dangerous strain for which no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment currently exists.
The NCDC classified Lagos, the FCT, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, and Adamawa as high-risk zones due to their strategic roles as international travel hubs, border corridors, seaports, and densely populated transit centres.
“The immediate objective of our preparedness and readiness measures is to ensure that every state and the FCT can detect, contain, and respond swiftly to any suspected case while safeguarding health workers and maintaining essential health services,” the agency stated.
Although Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed case, the NCDC noted that a dynamic risk assessment conducted after the outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern indicates a sustained risk of importation.
According to the agency, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have jointly reported 1,077 suspected cases and 247 deaths, reflecting a case fatality rate of 24.6 per cent.
The advisory further noted emerging international concerns, including suspected cases reported in India, while Canada has introduced temporary travel restrictions affecting applicants from Uganda, the DRC, and South Sudan. Uganda, meanwhile, has reportedly implemented border containment measures to curb further spread.
The NCDC emphasised that the Bundibugyo strain differs significantly from the more widely known Zaire strain, which has approved vaccines and therapeutic treatments.
“The current Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak has no licensed vaccines or approved targeted therapeutics,” the advisory warned.
Health authorities also cautioned that early symptoms of Ebola may resemble malaria, Lassa fever, or other common tropical illnesses, complicating early diagnosis.
“Health workers must maintain a high index of suspicion and not wait for bleeding manifestations before considering Ebola in patients with relevant symptoms and exposure history,” the agency added.
As part of emergency response measures, the National Emergency Operations Centre has been placed on alert mode to coordinate surveillance, preparedness, and response activities across the country.
State governments were directed to activate Ebola preparedness systems, strengthen surveillance at entry points, identify isolation facilities, equip frontline health workers with protective gear, and intensify public awareness campaigns to prevent misinformation and panic.
The Lagos State Government, however, assured residents that no confirmed or suspected Ebola case has been recorded in the state.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said Lagos remains on full alert but urged calm, noting that the state’s robust surveillance system is fully operational.
He explained that as Nigeria’s busiest entry point, Lagos continues to closely monitor developments in line with directives from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Abayomi added that Lagos has strengthened its biosecurity framework over the years, building on lessons from previous outbreaks including Ebola, COVID-19, cholera, diphtheria, and Lassa fever.
The renewed alert has revived memories of Nigeria’s swift containment of the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when infected Liberian-American traveller Patrick Sawyer introduced the virus into Lagos.
Despite initial fears of a major outbreak, Nigeria successfully contained the disease through rapid contact tracing, isolation protocols, emergency coordination, and public health communication.
The World Health Organisation later commended Nigeria’s response as one of the most effective Ebola containment efforts globally.
Health authorities have urged Nigerians to remain calm, avoid spreading rumours, observe strict hygiene practices, and report suspected cases promptly as surveillance efforts intensify nationwide.
Officials also stressed that early detection remains critical, particularly given the limited scientific understanding of the Bundibugyo strain compared to other Ebola variants.
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