The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining Nigeria’s zero-case status for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) while strengthening the country’s preparedness and response systems to manage potential outbreaks.
This was disclosed on Thursday at the inauguration of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness held at the State House, Abuja.
Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Task Force, Femi Gbajabiamila, said Nigeria currently has no reported cases of Ebola, adding that the government is intensifying preventive measures to ensure the country remains free of the disease.
He stressed that Nigeria’s approach is centered on prevention rather than reactive response, drawing lessons from the 2014 Ebola outbreak to strengthen surveillance and emergency coordination systems.
“We have covered a lot of ground, and there are presently no reported cases in the country, which is good news,” Gbajabiamila said. “That is why all hands must be on deck to ensure that preventive measures are prioritised rather than curative measures.”
He added that Nigeria is now better positioned to respond swiftly to any outbreak, with structured systems and sub-committees established to address key risk areas.
“We want to put in place permanent arrangements and structures so that in two or three years, if another outbreak occurs, we will not be running from pillar to post trying to establish response mechanisms,” he said.
Gbajabiamila noted that Nigeria is working closely with states that host international airports, including Lagos, Kano, Rivers, Enugu and the Federal Capital Territory, to strengthen disease surveillance and border monitoring systems.
He also highlighted the importance of land border surveillance, citing collaboration with the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Border Management Agency and border communities to monitor cross-border movement and reduce risk exposure.
According to him, the Presidential Task Force includes dedicated committees on border management, immigration control and disease surveillance, with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) providing technical leadership.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, alongside other key stakeholders in health, aviation, immigration and international partners, attended the inauguration.
Also present were representatives from the World Health Organization, federal ministries, state health commissioners, airport authorities and public health institutions, reflecting a multi-sectoral approach to epidemic preparedness.
Officials said the initiative builds on lessons learned from previous outbreaks, particularly the 2014 Ebola response, which is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most coordinated public health interventions.
The government reiterated that maintaining strong surveillance systems, rapid response capacity and inter-agency coordination remains central to safeguarding public health and preventing future epidemics.
