25th October 2026 | UPDATE ON NIGERIA’S EBOLA DISEASE RESPONSE
Sunday, October 25, 2026
UPDATE ON NIGERIA’S EBOLA DISEASE RESPONSE
Issued by: Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC)
Distinguished members of the press, colleagues, and fellow Nigerians,
I want to begin by reassuring Nigerians that the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of
Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the FCT health
authorities and our partners, is fully committed to responding to the confirmed case of Ebola disease in
the Federal Capital Territory.
As previously announced, Nigeria has confirmed one case of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo
virus. The patient is currently receiving medical care under isolation, with infection prevention and
control measures in place. Clinical teams continue to monitor and manage the patient's condition.
We recognise the concern that the confirmation of Ebola may have caused among Nigerians. Ebola is a
serious disease, and we are treating this situation with the urgency it deserves. There is a clear response
plan, experienced personnel and established public health systems that we are deploying to prevent
further transmission.
How the case was detected:
NCDC wants to draw attention to how this case came to our notice because it demonstrates the
importance of the surveillance systems we have continued to strengthen over the years.
Healthcare workers attending to the patient recognised clinical features that raised concern and
demonstrated the high index of suspicion required in such situations. The vigilance contributed to the
alert being captured through NCDC's event-based surveillance system.
Following the alert, we immediately engaged the FCT health authorities, and the necessary
investigations and laboratory testing was carried out. Our surveillance systems are designed to identify
unusual public health events, trigger investigations and enable a coordinated response.
The detection of this case demonstrates the importance of these systems and the critical role of healthcare
workers in making them effective.
Since then, we have activated a coordinated national response involving the Federal Ministry of Health
and Social Welfare, NCDC, FCT health authorities, other relevant government agencies and technical
partners.
This is one national response, with everyone working towards the same objective: to prevent further
transmission and protect Nigerians.
What we are doing and what Nigerians should expect:
Our response is being implemented through a structured Incident Management System, coordinated by
the Emergency Operations Centre, under the national leadership of the Honourable Coordinating
Minister of Health and Social Welfare and the Presidential Task Force on EVD.
There are several critical components to this response.
Firstly, identifying and monitoring contacts.
Our public health teams are working to identify everyone who may have been exposed to the confirmed
case, assess their level of exposure and ensure appropriate follow-up for 21 days from their last possible
exposure. This includes healthcare workers, patients, caregivers, household members, travel-related
contacts and others who may have had relevant exposure.
Contact tracing is a detailed process requiring careful investigation, accurate information and
continued follow-up. The number of contacts identified may change as investigations progress.
This is expected and reflects the ongoing work of our surveillance teams.
We want to appeal directly to Nigerians: if you are contacted by a public health official, please cooperate
fully. Provide accurate information about your movements, contacts and any symptoms you may have
experienced. An identified contact does not mean that you have Ebola. It means that public health teams
need to assess and monitor your health so that any possible infection can be identified early. The public
cooperation will help us identify potential cases quickly and prevent further transmission.
Secondly, ensuring safe and effective clinical care.
Our teams are working with the treating facility to strengthen clinical management and infection
prevention and control. We are drawing on experienced clinicians and case managers, including
professionals who participated in Nigeria's previous Ebola response, while mobilising additional
expertise as required.
Thirdly, strengthening infection prevention and control across healthcare facilities.
We are working with the FCT health authorities to strengthen screening, triage, isolation readiness and
healthcare worker protection. We are assessing priority facilities, supporting the implementation of
appropriate precautions and mobilising trained IPC professionals to provide practical guidance and
mentorship.
Our immediate objective is to ensure that any person presenting with symptoms suggestive of Ebola can
be identified early, safely separated from other patients and promptly reported to public health
authorities.
Fourthly, strengthening surveillance and laboratory capacity.
We are maintaining heightened surveillance and ensuring that suspected cases can be promptly
investigated and tested through appropriate laboratory arrangements.
The fifth element is keeping Nigerians informed and engaged.
We are strengthening community engagement, risk communication and the management of rumours and
misinformation. Regular, transparent updates will be provided as verified information becomes
available. Where information is still being investigated, we will say so.
Our response plans will continue to be reviewed and adjusted as new information becomes available.
This is standard procedure and necessary part of managing a public health emergency.
A special message to our healthcare workers:
I commend the healthcare workers whose vigilance and clinical judgement contributed to the
identification of this case. Their high index of suspicion was critical in triggering the public health
response.
We equally recognise the dedication of the healthcare workers who have continued to care for the patient
under challenging circumstances.
Our healthcare workers are central to our ability to bring this situation under control. This includes not
only doctors, nurses and other professionals working in hospitals, but also the public health workforce
responsible for surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory diagnosis, case management, infection
prevention and control, community engagement and risk communication.
Also, NCDC will prioritise their safety, health and welfare throughout this response.
Furthermore, I want to use this opportunity to call on the leadership of every public and private
healthcare facility in Nigeria to immediately review and strengthen their infection prevention and control
measures. Screening and triage must be instituted and consistently implemented. Healthcare workers
must maintain a high index of suspicion, particularly when attending to patients with compatible
symptoms and relevant exposure histories.
Standard precautions must be observed at all times. Hand hygiene, environmental cleaning,
injection safety and safe management of sharps cannot be compromised.
Healthcare facilities must ensure the availability of appropriate personal protective equipment in the
right quantities and ensure that staff know how to use it correctly.
Any suspected case must be promptly separated from other patients and reported to the relevant public
health authorities. Healthcare workers should not wait for laboratory confirmation before taking
appropriate precautions.
Protecting healthcare workers is essential to protecting the communities they serve.
Nigeria has faced Ebola before
For me, this response carries a particular personal significance.
In 2014, when Ebola was introduced into Nigeria, I was serving as the Commissioner for Health in Lagos
State, and I had the responsibility of leading the state's response. The uncertainty, the difficult decisions,
the commitment of our healthcare workers and the extraordinary cooperation of the citizens all
contributed to Nigeria successfully contain that outbreak.
Additionally, the experience taught us important lessons about leadership, coordination, early detection,
contact tracing, infection prevention and control, and public trust.
Moreover, since 2014, Nigeria has continued to develop its public health systems, strengthen its
workforce and building additional tools and capacities for managing outbreaks. We are drawing on those
experiences and capabilities today.
At the same time, the environment in which we respond to outbreaks has changed. Information now
travels much faster, but unfortunately, so do rumours and misinformation. False information can create
fear, discourage people from reporting symptoms and undermine the cooperation essential to stopping
transmission.
As a result of above, we therefore appeal to everyone to rely on verified information from NCDC, the
Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and other authorised public health sources. Please do not
circulate unverified claims or stigmatise patients, contacts, healthcare workers or affected communities.
What every Nigerian can do:
Although this is a public health emergency response, its success depends on the whole of society.
Kindly note, the cooperation of individuals, families, communities, healthcare institutions, professional
associations, civil society organisations, the private sector and our development partners are all vital.
There are practical steps everyone can take.
• Practise regular hand hygiene by washing your hands with soap and running water or using an
alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid direct contact with the blood or body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola, and do
not provide care to a suspected case without appropriate protective measures and guidance.
• If you have had a possible exposure, report it promptly, even if you feel well. If you develop
symptoms following possible exposure, contact public health authorities immediately and follow
their instructions before visiting a healthcare facility.
• Cooperate with contact tracing and monitoring teams. Provide truthful and complete information.
• Maintain good environmental hygiene and follow public health guidance.
Most importantly, remain calm, stay informed and act responsibly.
Working together to stop transmission:
NCDC is working closely with our national and international partners, mobilising expertise and
resources from across the country and strengthening our readiness to respond to any additional cases
should they occur. The immediate priority is to identify and follow up all contacts, protect healthcare
workers, provide appropriate care and prevent further transmission in the country.
While we have a clear plan, the situation remains under active investigation. Our actions will be guided
by evidence, and we will continue to adapt as necessary. Difficult public health challenges have been
overcome earlier in the country, and we all believe this will not be an exception. However, we cannot
do it through government action alone.
We need every Nigerian to cooperate with public health measures, support our healthcare workers, reject
misinformation and act in solidarity with one another so that we can make the country Ebola free again.
Thank you, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Signed:
Dr. Jide Idris,
Director General
www.ncdc.gov.ng
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3:45 AM · Oct 26, 2026
Remember: Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person who is sick or has died, or contaminated materials. It does not spread before symptoms begin.
