President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, alongside the immediate release of N10 billion in emergency intervention funding to strengthen Nigeria’s readiness against a potential outbreak.
The funding aims to boost the operational capacity of the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical public health emergency response measures nationwide.
The newly constituted Presidential Task Force will be chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and comprise representatives from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as state governments.
The move comes amid renewed concerns over the resurgence of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, raising fears of possible cross-border transmission.
Tinubu’s approval followed a high-level stakeholder meeting chaired by Gbajabiamila to assess Nigeria’s preparedness and formulate strategies to prevent the importation of the deadly virus.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including officials from the Ministry of Interior, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Lagos State Government.
As part of urgent containment measures, the President directed all states hosting international airports and border corridors to submit detailed preparedness plans, funding requests, and intervention needs for coordinated implementation.
The Task Force has been mandated to intensify passenger screening at international airports by enhancing temperature checks and implementing crowd-control measures. Authorities will also step up surveillance on passengers arriving via high-risk routes, including Air Uganda, RwandAir, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways, and Ethiopian Airlines.
In addition, referral and isolation centers are to be activated immediately at the Lagos and Abuja international airports, with similar facilities to be established at other airports across the country.
The government will also enforce mandatory QR code-based pre-arrival health declarations for travelers arriving from or transiting through designated high-risk countries. Airport terminals, cargo facilities, baggage handling areas, and other critical infrastructure will undergo routine disinfection as a preventive measure.
Furthermore, the President directed the advisory group to engage security, diplomatic, and aviation authorities on possible regulations for flights originating from affected countries.
The Task Force is also expected to designate specific terminals or airports for high-risk flights and to consider flight-scheduling adjustments to minimize contact between potentially exposed passengers and the general traveling public.
