NCDC Places Lagos, FCT, Eight States on High Ebola Alert

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has placed Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and several other states on high Ebola alert following the outbreak of the deadly Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in parts of East and Central Africa.

In a nationwide public health advisory issued to commissioners for health, the agency warned that Nigeria faces a significant risk of importing the virus due to increasing regional transmission, international travel, porous borders, and population movement.

The advisory, dated May 27, 2026, comes amid growing concern over the spread of the Bundibugyo variant of Ebola, a rare strain for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.

States classified as high risk by the NCDC include Lagos, the FCT, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, and Adamawa due to their international airports, seaports, border routes, and heavy human traffic.

“The immediate objective of our national preparedness and readiness efforts is to ensure that every state and the FCT can detect, contain, and respond swiftly to any suspected case while protecting health workers and sustaining essential health services,” the NCDC stated.

Although Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed Ebola case, the agency said a dynamic risk assessment conducted after the outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern showed that the danger of importation remains high.

According to the NCDC, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have already reported 1,077 suspected cases and 247 deaths, representing a fatality rate of 24.6 percent.

The agency added that the outbreak has triggered international concern, with suspected cases reportedly identified in India, while Canada announced temporary travel restrictions affecting residents of Uganda, the DRC, and South Sudan.

Uganda has also reportedly introduced border control measures to curb the spread of the virus.

The NCDC stressed that the Bundibugyo strain differs from the more common Zaire Ebola strain, which existing vaccines and antibody treatments primarily target.

“The current Bundibugyo virus outbreak has no licensed vaccines or approved targeted therapeutics,” the advisory warned.

Health officials also cautioned that Ebola symptoms may initially resemble malaria, Lassa fever, or other common illnesses, making early detection difficult.

“Health workers must not wait for bleeding before suspecting Ebola in any patient with compatible symptoms and relevant travel or exposure history,” the agency said.

As part of emergency preparedness measures, the NCDC said its National Emergency Operations Centre had already been activated in alert mode to coordinate nationwide response efforts.

State governments were directed to immediately activate Ebola preparedness structures, identify isolation centres, intensify surveillance at entry points, equip frontline health workers with personal protective equipment, and begin public sensitisation campaigns to prevent panic and misinformation.

Lagos Assures Residents

The Lagos State Government has assured residents that there are currently no confirmed or suspected cases of Ebola in the state.

Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said there was no cause for alarm, noting that Lagos was closely monitoring developments surrounding the outbreaks in Uganda and the DRC in line with directives from Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu.

As Nigeria’s major entry point, Abayomi said Lagos had maintained a robust and tested biosecurity system capable of detecting, containing, and responding rapidly to Ebola and other biological threats.

According to him, the state has developed a resilient outbreak response structure over the years through experiences from previous Ebola, COVID 19, cholera, diphtheria, and Lassa fever outbreaks.

“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.

Memories of 2014 Ebola Outbreak

Nigeria’s renewed Ebola alert has revived memories of the country’s successful containment of the virus during the 2014 outbreak, when an infected Liberian American traveller, Patrick Sawyer, arrived in Lagos and exposed dozens of people before authorities intervened.

At the time, experts feared a catastrophic outbreak due to Lagos’ dense population and status as one of Africa’s busiest commercial hubs.

However, rapid contact tracing, aggressive isolation measures, emergency coordination, and public awareness campaigns helped Nigeria contain the outbreak within months.

The World Health Organisation later praised Nigeria’s response as one of Africa’s most effective Ebola containment efforts.

The latest alert is considered particularly serious because the Bundibugyo variant remains less understood than the more common Zaire strain and currently lacks licensed vaccines or targeted treatments.

Health authorities have urged Nigerians to remain calm, avoid rumours and fake cures, maintain proper hygiene, and report suspected symptoms early as surveillance and preparedness measures intensify nationwide.