Nigerian authorities are weighing the possibility of restricting flights from Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and South Sudan as part of preventive measures against a potential Ebola outbreak in the country.
The proposal was discussed on Thursday during a high-level meeting in Victoria Island, Lagos, where senior government officials reviewed Nigeria’s preparedness and response strategy following renewed Ebola concerns in parts of Africa.
Those present at the meeting included the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Jide Idris; Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; and Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi.
Speaking after the session, Gbajabiamila said President Bola Tinubu had been fully briefed on developments in affected countries and assured that the federal government would act swiftly to prevent any outbreak in Nigeria.
He said several preventive options were under consideration, including restricting air travel from countries experiencing outbreaks.
“We have a health scare, which is Ebola, and we all know what happened the last time.
”The cases are getting worse internationally, and we don’t want to leave anything to chance,” he said.
Gbajabiamila added that authorities were also considering enhanced screening measures for arriving passengers, including isolation protocols for suspected cases.
“We looked at the possibility of isolating passengers who may exhibit symptoms of Ebola,” he said, noting that cargo handling procedures and other border health measures were also under review.
Minister of Interior, Tunji-Ojo, said all entry points into Nigeria had been placed under heightened surveillance, adding that the Nigeria Immigration Service would work closely with the NCDC to improve early detection and response systems.
The NCDC Director-General, Jide Idris, disclosed that preparedness plans had already been activated across all 36 states, with public health awareness campaigns to be intensified nationwide.
The renewed vigilance comes amid fresh Ebola outbreaks in parts of Africa, reviving memories of the 2013–2016 West African epidemic, which remains the deadliest in history.
During that outbreak, Nigeria successfully contained the virus and was later praised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for its rapid response and coordinated containment strategy.
The country’s success was largely attributed to swift detection, isolation protocols, and coordinated efforts across public and private health systems, with the late Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh widely recognised for her role in preventing wider spread after identifying and isolating Liberia-American patient Patrick Sawyer.
In response to recent developments, some countries, including the United States, Canada, and the Bahamas, have previously introduced travel-related restrictions linked to Ebola outbreaks, while Uganda recently closed its border with the DRC to contain transmission.
Nigerian officials said further decisions on flight restrictions will depend on ongoing risk assessments and global health updates.
