The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has intensified Ebola monitoring across the Federal Capital Territory and nine states following the spread of the dangerous Bundibugyo strain in parts of East and Central Africa.
In a fresh public health alert sent to state health commissioners, the agency warned that Nigeria faces a serious risk of importing the virus because of increasing movement across African borders, international travel, and trade activities.
The states currently placed under closer surveillance include Lagos, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, Adamawa, and the FCT due to their busy airports, seaports, border routes, and large population movement.
According to the NCDC, the Bundibugyo variant is particularly worrying because there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the strain.
The agency explained that its major goal is to ensure all states can quickly identify, isolate, and respond to any suspected Ebola case before it spreads further.
Although no Ebola case has been confirmed in Nigeria, the NCDC said recent assessments showed the country remains vulnerable because of the ongoing outbreak in neighbouring regions.
Health authorities disclosed that Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have already recorded more than 1,000 suspected infections and several hundred deaths linked to the outbreak.
The disease has also triggered global concern, with reports of suspected infections surfacing in India, while some countries have tightened travel restrictions involving affected regions.
The NCDC warned medical workers not to wait for signs of bleeding before suspecting Ebola, explaining that early symptoms can appear similar to malaria, Lassa fever, or other common illnesses.
As part of emergency preparations, the agency said the National Emergency Operations Centre has already been activated to coordinate response efforts nationwide.
State governments were directed to strengthen disease surveillance, prepare isolation centres, equip health workers with protective gear, and increase public awareness campaigns to prevent panic and misinformation.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government assured residents that no Ebola case has been detected in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, said Lagos remains on high alert because of its position as Nigeria’s major international entry point.
He explained that the state’s disease surveillance and emergency response systems remain fully active and ready to respond to any health threat.
Abayomi added that Lagos built strong biosecurity systems after successfully controlling the 2014 Ebola outbreak and later improving its response structures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nigeria’s latest Ebola alert has revived memories of the 2014 outbreak, when an infected traveller from Liberia entered Lagos and exposed several people before the virus was eventually contained.
At the time, health experts feared a massive outbreak because of Lagos’ population and commercial activities, but aggressive contact tracing, isolation measures, and public awareness campaigns helped stop the spread.
The World Health Organization later praised Nigeria’s response as one of Africa’s most successful Ebola containment efforts.
Health officials are now urging Nigerians to remain calm, avoid spreading false information, maintain proper hygiene, and quickly report any suspected symptoms as nationwide surveillance continues.