Ebola emergency watch begins in Lagos, FCT, eight states

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a high Ebola alert for Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory, and several other states due to the emergence of the deadly Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease in regions of East and Central Africa.

In a national public health advisory directed to health commissioners nationwide, the agency cautioned that Nigeria is at a significant risk of virus importation owing to escalating regional transmission, international travel, porous borders, and population movements.

Dated May 27, 2026, the advisory arises amidst increasing worries regarding the spread of the Bundibugyo variant of Ebola — a rare strain for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment currently exists.

The NCDC has identified states at high risk, including Lagos, the FCT, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, and Adamawa, due to their international airports, seaports, border routes, and substantial human traffic.

“The primary goal of our national preparedness and readiness initiatives is to ensure that every state and the FCT can effectively detect, contain, and respond promptly to any suspected case while safeguarding health workers and maintaining essential health services,” stated the NCDC.

The agency revealed that while Nigeria has not yet reported any confirmed cases, a dynamic risk assessment conducted following the declaration of the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern indicated that the risk of importation into Nigeria remains elevated.

According to the NCDC, there have been 1,077 suspected cases and 247 fatalities reported in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a fatality rate of 24.6 percent.

Furthermore, the outbreak has raised international alarm, with suspected cases reportedly detected in India, while Canada has implemented temporary travel application restrictions for residents of Uganda, DRC, and South Sudan.

Uganda has reportedly implemented border closure measures to control the spread.

The NCDC emphasized that the Bundibugyo strain is distinct from the Zaire Ebola strain, which is primarily targeted by existing vaccines and antibody treatments.

"The ongoing Bundibugyo virus outbreak lacks licensed vaccines or approved targeted therapeutics," the advisory cautioned.

Health officials also warned that the symptoms of Ebola may initially mimic those of malaria, Lassa fever, or other prevalent illnesses, complicating early detection.

"Health workers should not wait for bleeding to suspect Ebola in any patient exhibiting compatible symptoms and relevant travel or exposure history," the agency stated.

In response to the emergency, the agency announced that its National Emergency Operations Centre has been activated in alert mode to coordinate a nationwide response.

State governments have been instructed to promptly activate Ebola preparedness structures, identify isolation centers, enhance surveillance at entry points, provide frontline health workers with personal protective equipment, and initiate public sensitization campaigns to mitigate panic and misinformation.

However, the Lagos State Government has reassured residents that there are no confirmed or suspected cases of Ebola Virus Disease in the state.

The Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, stated on Monday that there is no reason for alarm, emphasizing that no suspected cases of Ebola have been identified in Lagos.

Abayomi clarified that, as a major entry point into Nigeria, Lagos is closely monitoring the developments related to the Ebola outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda, following directives from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

On May 24, 2026, the Nigeria Immigration Service alleviated concerns that the country’s land borders could serve as unmonitored entry points for the Ebola virus currently affecting the DRC and Uganda.

“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.

“The state’s preparedness framework was first rigorously tested during the Ebola outbreak and significantly strengthened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It remains actively engaged in responding to recurrent public health challenges, such as Cholera, Diphtheria, and Lassa Fever outbreaks,” the commissioner said.

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, public health experts feared a catastrophic outbreak in Lagos due to its 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 stop the spread within months.

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

The most recent alert is deemed especially grave due to the Bundibugyo variant being less comprehended compared to the more prevalent Zaire strain.

In contrast to the Zaire strain, which has authorized vaccines and treatments created following earlier West African outbreaks, the Bundibugyo strain presently does not have any licensed countermeasures.

Health officials are now advising Nigerians to stay calm, refrain from spreading rumors and false remedies, uphold proper hygiene practices, and promptly report any suspected symptoms as surveillance and preparedness efforts are heightened across the country.