Tinubu Approves N10b to Boost Nigeria’s Ebola Preparedness

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the release of N10 billion in emergency funding to strengthen Nigeria’s readiness against a possible outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease following fresh cases reported in parts of Africa.

The intervention is expected to reinforce the country’s disease surveillance and emergency response systems as health authorities move to prevent the virus from entering Nigeria.

The approval was announced in a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said the funds would be used to enhance national public health preparedness and response mechanisms.

According to the statement, a significant portion of the funding will be deployed to support the activities of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), which is leading efforts to strengthen the country’s capacity to detect and respond to infectious disease threats.

“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 said.

As part of measures approved by the President, a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats has also been established to coordinate the national response.

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

The latest action follows growing concern over recent Ebola outbreaks reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, raising fears of cross-border transmission across the continent.

To reduce the risk of importation, the Federal Government has directed a significant tightening of surveillance at the nation’s entry points, particularly international airports.

Under the new measures, authorities will intensify passenger screening procedures, including enhanced temperature checks and stricter crowd-control protocols at airports.

The government also announced plans for closer monitoring of travellers arriving from countries considered high-risk for Ebola transmission.

Isolation facilities are to be activated at the international airports in Lagos and Abuja, while inbound passengers will be required to comply with mandatory health declaration procedures.

Implementation of the measures will involve several agencies, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, working alongside state governments and relevant ministries.

The directive also mandates the regular disinfection of airport terminals, cargo handling zones and baggage collection areas as part of broader preventive efforts.

In addition, the newly constituted task force has been instructed to collaborate with aviation, security and diplomatic authorities on flight management protocols involving affected regions.

The committee will also consider the designation of specific airport terminals for passengers arriving from high-risk locations as part of measures aimed at strengthening containment and reducing the likelihood of community transmission.

The latest intervention comes as health authorities seek to avert a repeat of previous Ebola scares and ensure the country remains prepared to respond swiftly to any potential outbreak.