Ebola Alert: Tinubu Approves N10bn Emergency Fund, Tightens Airport Surveillance Over Fresh African Outbreaks.

President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate release of N10bn in emergency funding to boost Nigeria’s preparedness against a potential Ebola outbreak, as fresh cases of the deadly virus spark fears across parts of Africa.

The intervention comes amid growing concerns over renewed Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, prompting Nigerian authorities to activate heightened surveillance measures at airports, borders, and other critical entry points nationwide.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Federal Government said the funding would strengthen Nigeria’s disease detection and rapid-response systems to prevent the deadly virus from entering the country.

According to the statement, the emergency allocation is specifically aimed at reinforcing the operational readiness of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and supporting urgent public health response activities across the country.

“The fund will strengthen the operational preparedness of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and support critical national public health emergency response activities,” the statement read.

The government noted that lessons learned from previous Ebola outbreaks, including Nigeria’s successful containment of the virus in 2014, have made early preparedness and swift intervention a top priority.

As part of the sweeping measures approved by the President, Tinubu also constituted a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats to coordinate the country’s national response strategy.

The task force will be chaired by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and will comprise representatives of key ministries, federal agencies, state governments, and relevant health institutions.

The committee is expected to oversee emergency preparedness plans, coordinate inter-agency collaboration, and ensure that all preventive protocols are effectively implemented nationwide.

The statement further disclosed that the Federal Government has intensified surveillance at all international airports and border entry points to prevent the importation and spread of the virus.

Under the new directive, authorities will enforce enhanced passenger screening procedures, including stricter temperature checks, health assessments, and crowd-control measures at major airports across the country.

The government said additional monitoring systems would be deployed for passengers arriving from high-risk regions, while mandatory health declaration forms would now be required for inbound international travellers.

Key agencies involved in implementing the emergency protocols include the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, port health authorities, and state governments.

To further strengthen containment efforts, isolation centres at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja have been activated and placed on high alert for any suspected Ebola cases.

Authorities have also been directed to carry out regular disinfection of airport terminals, cargo handling zones, baggage claim areas, and other high-contact facilities to reduce the risk of contamination.

The presidential directive additionally empowers the task force to collaborate with security agencies, aviation authorities, and diplomatic missions to monitor and regulate flights originating from affected regions.

Specific terminals may also be designated for passengers arriving from high-risk countries as part of efforts to tighten containment procedures and ensure faster emergency response in the event of any suspected infection.

Health experts have repeatedly warned that Ebola remains one of the world’s deadliest viral diseases, with symptoms including fever, weakness, vomiting, bleeding, and severe dehydration. The virus spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and has historically recorded high fatality rates during outbreaks.

Nigeria earned global praise in 2014 for successfully containing Ebola after an infected Liberian-American traveler arrived in Lagos, triggering an emergency response that prevented a nationwide health disaster.

With fresh outbreaks now resurfacing in parts of Africa, the Federal Government says it is determined to prevent another public health crisis by acting swiftly before any confirmed case reaches Nigerian soil.