The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has stepped up surveillance and preparedness measures following the confirmation of an imported Ebola case in Kenya.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, however, said there was no confirmed case of Ebola disease in Nigeria as of the date of the statement.
The agency said the case, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, was linked to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), raising concerns over the potential international spread of the disease through travel and population movement.
According to Idris, the confirmed case in Kenya involved a Kenyan citizen who had been residing in the DRC before travelling to Kenya.
He said the patient travelled by road from the DRC to Kampala, Uganda, before flying to Nairobi, where he was isolated and subsequently tested positive for the virus.
“The patient later died, while Kenyan health authorities began contact tracing and other response measures,” he said.
The NCDC said the development underscored the risk of Ebola being imported into other countries, including Nigeria, through international travel and cross-border population movement.
To strengthen the country’s preparedness, the agency said it was working with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Port Health Services, state governments and other partners to enhance surveillance and response capacity.
The measures, according to the agency, include early detection, isolation and referral of suspected cases, laboratory diagnosis, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, risk communication and protection of healthcare workers.
The NCDC also disclosed that Nigeria had conducted a national Ebola preparedness tabletop simulation exercise to test existing response arrangements and identify gaps requiring further attention.
The agency urged Nigerians to remain calm but vigilant, stressing the importance of regular hand hygiene with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
It advised members of the public to avoid contact with the blood or body fluids of sick people, particularly those showing symptoms suggestive of Ebola.
Nigerians were also warned against contact with the bodies of people who died from unknown illnesses, as well as handling sick or dead wild animals and consuming raw or poorly cooked bushmeat.
The NCDC urged anyone who becomes unwell, particularly after travelling to an affected area or having contact with a suspected or confirmed Ebola case, to seek prompt medical attention at a recognised health facility.
It further advised travellers returning from affected areas to monitor their health for 21 days after leaving the affected area and to disclose their travel and possible exposure history if symptoms develop.
