Tinubu Declares Ebola Alert, Releases N10bn Emergency Fund, Sets Up Presidential Task Force

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate release of N10 billion to bolster Nigeria’s preparedness against a potential Ebola outbreak and other emerging public health threats, following renewed concerns over the resurgence of the deadly virus in parts of East and Central Africa.

The President also ordered the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats to coordinate the country’s response and strengthen preventive measures nationwide.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by Bayo Onanuga, the intervention fund will support the operational readiness of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and finance critical emergency response activities across the country.

The newly constituted task force will be chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila and will comprise representatives of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as state governments.

The move comes amid growing concerns over fresh Ebola outbreaks reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, raising fears of possible cross-border transmission across the continent.

President Tinubu’s approval followed a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Chief of Staff to assess Nigeria’s preparedness and formulate strategies to prevent the importation of the virus into the country.

The meeting brought together key agencies, including representatives of the Ministry of Interior, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and the Lagos State Government.

As part of the emergency measures, the President directed all states hosting international airports and border corridors to submit detailed preparedness plans, funding requirements and intervention proposals for immediate consideration.

The task force has also been mandated to intensify health surveillance at all international entry points through enhanced passenger screening, temperature monitoring and crowd-control measures.

Authorities will further strengthen monitoring of passengers arriving through routes considered high-risk, including flights operated by Air Uganda, RwandAir, Air Tanzania, TAAG Angola Airlines, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines.

In addition, referral and isolation centres are to be activated immediately at the international airports in Lagos and Abuja, with similar facilities to be established in other airports across the country.

Other directives include the mandatory deployment of QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for travellers arriving from or transiting through designated high-risk countries, as well as routine disinfection of airport terminals, baggage handling areas, cargo facilities and departure halls.

President Tinubu also instructed the advisory group to work closely with security, diplomatic and aviation authorities on possible restrictions and additional controls for flights originating from affected countries.

The task force is expected to consider designating specific terminals or airports for high-risk flights and adjusting flight schedules where necessary to reduce contact between potentially exposed passengers and the general travelling public.

The latest intervention signals the Federal Government’s determination to prevent a repeat of the 2014 Ebola outbreak, which tested Nigeria’s public health system but was ultimately contained through aggressive surveillance, contact tracing and emergency response measures.