The Federal Government is considering possible restrictions on flights from countries affected by the Ebola virus as part of new measures aimed at preventing any outbreak in Nigeria.
The proposal was disclosed on Thursday by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, following a high-level strategic meeting held in Victoria Island, Lagos State, to review Nigeria’s Ebola preparedness and response framework.
Gbajabiamila said the suggested travel restrictions would be combined with enhanced screening and the isolation of passengers showing symptoms consistent with Ebola infection at Nigeria’s points of entry.
The meeting brought together senior government officials, including the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Jide Idris; Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; and Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, among others.
He said President Bola Tinubu had been briefed on developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, where Ebola cases have recently been reported, adding that the government would take all necessary precautions to prevent the virus from entering Nigeria.
“We have a health scare, which is Ebola, and we all know what happened the last time,” Gbajabiamila said. “We don’t want to leave anything to chance.”
He explained that discussions covered possible flight restrictions from countries of concern, isolation of symptomatic passengers, and the use of dedicated cargo and screening terminals for arrivals from high-risk regions.
According to him, the administration is prioritising prevention, surveillance, and coordinated response systems to avoid a public health emergency.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said all entry points into the country would be placed under strict monitoring to strengthen early detection and response capacity. He added that the Nigeria Immigration Service would work closely with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention to enhance border health security.
NCDC Director General, Dr. Jide Idris, warned that Ebola remains a highly dangerous viral disease with no specific cure, stressing the importance of strict public health measures.
He said preparedness plans have been activated nationwide across all 36 states, with increased public awareness campaigns and intensified training for healthcare workers.
“This particular virus has no treatment, no vaccines. So it’s the public health measures that need to be done — isolation, quick detection, public enlightenment, infection prevention and control,” Idris said.
He added that healthcare workers remain particularly vulnerable and are being prioritised in ongoing preparedness efforts.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has resulted in 10 confirmed and 223 suspected Ebola deaths, out of more than 1,000 total confirmed and suspected cases since mid-May.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has raised concerns that ongoing insecurity in eastern DR Congo, an area affected by decades of conflict, is complicating containment efforts.
Nigeria’s latest measures come amid heightened regional vigilance as health authorities across Africa intensify surveillance to prevent further cross-border transmission.
