The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that efforts are underway to contain the Ebola case confirmed in Abuja, as concerns grow over the country’s disease surveillance system, contact tracing and the management of funds allocated for emergency preparedness.
The case involves a woman who travelled to Abuja through Addis Ababa on October 5, 2026.
According to the report, she developed symptoms two days after arriving in Nigeria and sought medical attention at a private hospital in Abuja on October 11.
Her condition reportedly did not improve after initial treatment for symptoms resembling malaria.
Health officials subsequently established that she had recently travelled to Uganda, where an Ebola outbreak was ongoing.
A test conducted on October 19 returned positive, with the result confirmed on Tuesday.
Authorities have identified 44 people who may have had contact with the patient, including healthcare workers and her husband, a Swiss national living with her in Abuja.
Health officials are tracing the contacts and monitoring those who may have been exposed to the virus.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said the government was working with Uganda and other relevant health authorities to prevent further transmission.
He also disclosed that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) had activated its incident management system to coordinate the response.
The government has maintained that the situation is being managed and that there is no immediate need for a blanket quarantine across the country.
Femi Gbajabiamila, the President’s Chief of Staff, also said the patient was responding well to treatment.
However, the confirmation has raised questions about whether Nigeria’s airport screening and public health surveillance systems were sufficiently prepared to identify the infection earlier.
Health experts have expressed concern about how the patient entered the country and received initial treatment without the infection being detected.
The reported ₦10 billion allocated for emergency preparedness has also become a subject of public debate.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for an audit of the funds, while lawmakers have urged the government to ensure that health agencies have adequate resources to respond to the outbreak.
The Senate has called for emergency funding for the NCDC and Port Health Services and urged a review of previously approved allocations to establish whether the money was released and properly used.
Lawmakers have also called for the replacement of the Quarantine Act of 1926 with modern public health legislation.
Nigeria’s experience in containing the 2014 Ebola outbreak has been cited as evidence that the country can manage the current situation.
Nevertheless, the latest case has renewed calls for stronger surveillance, effective contact tracing and transparent management of emergency health funds.
The immediate priority remains preventing further infections, identifying everyone who may have been exposed and ensuring that the public receives accurate information from health authorities.