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President Bola Tinubu has approved the release of ₦10 billion in emergency funding to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness against a possible Ebola outbreak following renewed cases reported in parts of Africa. The approval was announced on Tuesday through a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said the intervention is aimed at reinforcing the country’s public health emergency response system and preventing the importation of the deadly virus into Nigeria.
According to the Presidency, the funding will primarily support the activities of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), including surveillance, laboratory testing, rapid response operations, border monitoring, and emergency preparedness programmes. As part of the measures, Tinubu also approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats. The task force will be chaired by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and will include representatives of key federal agencies and state governments.
The move follows growing concerns over Ebola outbreaks recently reported in countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Health authorities across Africa have intensified monitoring efforts amid fears that increased cross-border movement could aid the spread of the virus. The Federal Government said Nigeria is already strengthening surveillance at airports, land borders, and seaports while improving coordination between federal and state health institutions to ensure a rapid response if any suspected case is detected.
The approval comes as governments and international health agencies continue to mobilise resources to contain the outbreak and prevent a repeat of the devastating West African Ebola epidemic that claimed thousands of lives more than a decade ago. Public health experts have welcomed the funding, noting that early preparedness, rapid detection, and coordinated response remain the most effective tools for preventing widespread transmission. The Federal Government has urged Nigerians to remain calm, follow public health advisories, and promptly report any suspected symptoms to health authorities.
