President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, alongside the immediate release of N10 billion as emergency intervention funding to strengthen Nigeria’s health security architecture.
The announcement was contained in a State House press release issued on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the emergency funding will be deployed to enhance the operational capacity of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support national preparedness and response mechanisms against potential public health emergencies.
The Presidential Task Force will be chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and will include representatives from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as state governments.
The decision follows heightened concern over the resurgence of Ebola Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, both of which are neighbouring countries within the region.
The presidency said the move was informed by a high-level stakeholder meeting convened under the supervision of the Chief of Staff, aimed at assessing Nigeria’s readiness and strengthening coordinated response strategies to prevent possible importation of the virus into the country.
Key stakeholders at the meeting included officials from the Ministry of Interior, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Lagos State Government, and other relevant agencies involved in border and health security management.
As part of the new preventive measures, President Tinubu directed all states with international airports and major border corridors to submit detailed preparedness plans, funding requirements, and intervention strategies for federal review and coordinated implementation.
The Task Force has been mandated to implement a series of containment and prevention measures, including intensified passenger screening at international airports, enhanced temperature checks, and improved crowd-control protocols.
It will also enforce enhanced monitoring of passengers arriving from or transiting through high-risk airline routes, including Air Uganda, Rwanda Air, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways, and Ethiopian Airlines.
Other directives include the activation of referral and isolation centres at Lagos and Abuja international airports, with expansion plans to other international gateways across the country.
The statement further outlined mandatory health declaration requirements, including QR code-based pre-arrival screening for passengers from designated high-risk countries, as well as environmental sanitation measures such as disinfection of airport terminals, cargo areas, and baggage handling facilities.
The presidency also disclosed that the advisory group will consult with security, aviation, and diplomatic authorities to regulate flight operations from affected regions, including the possibility of designating specific terminals for high-risk arrivals to ensure controlled screening and isolation procedures.
Additionally, flight scheduling adjustments may be introduced to reduce contact between high-risk passengers and other travelers within airport facilities.
The Federal Government said the measures are part of proactive efforts to safeguard public health, strengthen border surveillance, and ensure Nigeria remains adequately prepared against any potential outbreak.
The task force is expected to begin immediate coordination with relevant agencies to implement the outlined directives nationwide.