The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has raised alarm over the risk of Ebola Virus Disease entering the country, placing Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and several other states on high alert following outbreaks of the Bundibugyo strain in parts of East and Central Africa.
In a national advisory issued on May 27, 2026, and sent to state health commissioners, the agency warned that Nigeria faces an elevated risk of importation due to increased regional spread, cross-border movement, international travel, and porous border points.
The NCDC listed high-risk states to include Lagos, FCT, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, and Adamawa, citing their international airports, seaports, and heavy population movement.
“The immediate objective of our national preparedness and readiness efforts is to ensure that every state and the FCT can reasonably detect, contain, and respond swiftly to any suspected case while protecting health workers and sustaining essential health services,” the agency stated.
Although no case has been recorded in Nigeria, the NCDC said its updated risk assessment shows the threat remains significant following the declaration of a public health emergency in affected regions.
The agency reported that Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have recorded 1,077 suspected cases and 247 deaths, with a fatality rate of 24.6 percent, while isolated suspected cases have also been flagged internationally.
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According to the advisory, countries such as Canada have introduced travel restrictions linked to affected regions, while Uganda has reportedly tightened border controls to curb further spread.
The NCDC stressed that the Bundibugyo strain is different from the Zaire Ebola strain, which has existing vaccines and treatments.
“The current Bundibugyo virus outbreak has no licensed vaccines or approved targeted therapeutics,” the advisory warned.
Health authorities also noted that early symptoms may be mistaken for malaria or Lassa fever, making timely detection more difficult, and urged medical workers to maintain a high index of suspicion even before bleeding symptoms appear.
“Health workers must not wait for bleeding before suspecting Ebola in any patient with compatible symptoms and relevant travel or exposure history,” the agency added.
As part of preparedness measures, the National Emergency Operations Centre has been activated in alert mode, while states have been directed to strengthen surveillance, activate isolation facilities, equip health workers with protective gear, and intensify public awareness campaigns.
In Lagos, however, the state government assured residents there is no cause for panic, stating that no suspected or confirmed cases have been identified.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the state is closely monitoring developments in line with directives from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, noting that Lagos remains fully prepared to respond to any potential threat.
He explained that the state’s biosecurity system remains active and tested.
“The Lagos Biosecurity Bio-shield was built to protect and remains ready to respond to biological shocks. Preparedness for us is not a temporary reaction; it is a permanent culture embedded within our health system,” he said.
Abayomi added that Lagos’ preparedness framework, strengthened since the 2014 Ebola outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic, remains capable of responding to diseases such as Ebola, Lassa fever, cholera, and diphtheria.
Nigeria’s renewed alert has revived memories of the country’s successful 2014 Ebola containment, when swift contact tracing and coordinated response helped prevent a wider outbreak after the virus was introduced by a traveller in Lagos.
Health officials are now urging Nigerians to remain calm, avoid misinformation, maintain hygiene practices, and report suspected symptoms early as surveillance efforts are intensified nationwide.