…Agency says Nigeria has no active Ebola case, warns against panic
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has disclosed that the N10 billion emergency intervention fund approved by President Bola Tinubu will be used to strengthen the country’s preparedness against epidemic-prone diseases, including Ebola, Lassa fever, cholera, diphtheria, measles and monkeypox.
The agency said the funding was not meant for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) alone, but would support broader health security measures covering disease prevention, early detection, preparedness, rapid response and recovery.
The Director-General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this in a statement on Monday while addressing concerns surrounding the allocation following Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported case of Ebola (Bundibugyo) virus disease.
Idris also clarified that the N10 billion was released directly to the NCDC and not to the Presidential Task Force on Ebola, which was established primarily to coordinate the national response.
According to him, President Tinubu approved the emergency funding in June 2026 following an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
He explained that the request for the funds preceded the confirmation of the imported Ebola case in Nigeria and was intended to address wider gaps in the country’s health security system.
Nigeria has no active Ebola case — NCDC
Providing an update on the Ebola situation, Idris said Nigeria currently had no active case of the disease.
He explained that the agency’s laboratory confirmed the index case on October 20, within 24 hours of receiving the alert in Abuja.
The NCDC boss, however, said health authorities would continue monitoring identified contacts until the last person completed the mandatory 21-day follow-up period without any new case emerging.
He also dismissed suggestions that the situation required the postponement of elections, a ban on political campaigns and mass gatherings, or the imposition of travel restrictions.
“NCDC has recommended none of these. Instead, we have developed technical guidelines for all organisers of mass gatherings. With strict adherence to infection prevention and control and safety protocols, events can go ahead safely,” he said.
Idris urged Nigerians to remain vigilant without panicking, warning that rumours and the politicisation of public health emergencies could undermine public trust and weaken efforts to contain disease outbreaks.
NCDC raises funding concerns
The NCDC director-general disclosed that the agency’s allocation increased from N4 billion in 2024 to N7 billion in 2025, with an additional N5 billion intervention fund provided that year.
He added that the 2026 Appropriation provides N22 billion for the agency, while Tinubu approved the additional N10 billion emergency intervention fund in June.
Despite the allocations, Idris maintained that Nigeria’s health security funding remained inadequate, considering the country’s population of more than 240 million.
Citing estimates by the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, he said countries needed between $1 and $2 per person annually to achieve an acceptable level of epidemic preparedness.
He explained that Nigeria would require between $240 million and $480 million annually to meet that benchmark, stressing the need for sustained investment by federal and state governments, as well as development partners.
The NCDC chief further disclosed that the country’s second National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS 2.0), covering 2025 to 2029, had an estimated implementation cost of N522 billion over five years.
According to him, the plan requires an average of N104.4 billion annually, meaning the N10 billion emergency intervention fund represents about two per cent of the annual requirement.
He said the plan was developed through a multisectoral approach involving government ministries, departments and agencies, development partners, civil society organisations and other stakeholders under the One Health framework.
The initiative is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats, building on lessons from the previous national health security plan, which faced funding constraints.
‘Nigeria must invest in health security’
Idris urged Nigerians and policymakers to focus on securing sustainable funding for epidemic preparedness rather than viewing the N10 billion intervention in isolation.
“The discussion should not be whether Nigeria can afford to invest adequately in health security, but whether it can afford the human, social and economic consequences of failing to do so,” he said.
He called on policymakers, the media and development partners to advocate sustained and accountable funding for the NCDC and the country’s broader health security system.
The director-general assured Nigerians that the agency remained committed to transparency, accountability and the responsible use of public resources.
