Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has called on Nigerians to remain calm amid growing fears of a potential Ebola outbreak, assuring that the country possesses the laboratory capacity, emergency response systems, and institutional memory to detect and contain the virus should any imported case occur. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Thursday, May 21, 2026, the Head of Health Emergency Preparedness at the NCDC, Dr. Biodun Ogunniyi, stated that while the situation in Central Africa is being closely monitored, there is no reason for panic in Nigeria. “There is no need to panic because fear kills more than death itself,” Ogunniyi said, adding that the country had already stress‑tested its response systems during a scare last year and emerged better prepared.
The reassurance follows official reports from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where an outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has been confirmed. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the DRC has recorded 513 cases and 131 deaths since the outbreak was declared in early May 2026. The Bundibugyo strain, while less virulent than the Zaire strain that devastated West Africa in 2014‑2016, still carries a case fatality rate of approximately 40 percent and is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons or contaminated surfaces. The outbreak is centred in remote areas of the DRC’s North Kivu province, but health officials fear that cross‑border travel could spread the virus to neighbouring countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and potentially further afield.
Ogunniyi reminded Nigerians of the country’s successful containment of Ebola in 2014, when a Liberian‑American diplomat, Patrick Sawyer, imported the virus into Lagos, sparking a outbreak that resulted in 20 confirmed cases and eight deaths. “In less than 70 days, the country was able to wipe this virus out,” Ogunniyi said, a feat that earned Nigeria global commendation from the WHO and other international health bodies. He noted that the lessons learned from that experience have been institutionalised, and Nigeria now operates a much stronger public health emergency management architecture than it did a decade ago. “The Bundibugyo Ebola virus… is not new to us, so we have the system in place through our Public Health Emergency Operation Centre to quickly coordinate ourselves,” he stated.
The NCDC official highlighted improvements in laboratory capacity as a key pillar of Nigeria’s preparedness. “We now have laboratories across the country, including national reference laboratories in Abuja and Lagos, capable of detecting the virus promptly,” Ogunniyi said. Unlike in 2014, when samples had to be sent to Senegal or South Africa for confirmation, Nigeria now has multiple PCR‑based testing facilities that can return results within hours. The NCDC has also stockpiled personal protective equipment (PPE), viral transport media, and other essential supplies at strategic locations across the six geopolitical zones.
In recent weeks, the NCDC has activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to Level 2 (enhanced surveillance) and has been conducting refresher training for health workers at points of entry, including international airports, seaports, and land borders. The agency has also issued advisories to state health ministries and teaching hospitals, urging them to maintain a high index of suspicion for viral haemorrhagic fevers and to practice standard infection prevention and control measures at all times. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had earlier announced intensified surveillance at international airports, including temperature screening of passengers arriving from high‑risk regions.
Despite these measures, Ogunniyi acknowledged that Nigeria cannot be completely insulated from global health threats. “We are a country that receives international travellers, and so the risk of importation exists. But what matters is our ability to detect quickly and respond effectively,” he said. He urged citizens to remain vigilant but calm, and to avoid spreading unverified information that could trigger panic. He also advised against self‑medication or hiding symptoms, stressing that early reporting to health facilities greatly improves survival chances and reduces secondary transmission.
The NCDC’s message of calm comes amid scattered reports of panic buying of hand sanitisers and face masks in some Nigerian cities, reminiscent of the early days of the COVID‑19 pandemic. In Lagos and Abuja, pharmacies have reported increased demand for gloves and sanitisers, though prices have remained stable. The agency reiterated that there is no confirmed case of Ebola in Nigeria and that any suspected case would be immediately isolated and investigated.
Health experts have praised the NCDC’s proactive communication strategy but have also called for renewed investment in primary healthcare and community engagement, which are critical to preventing outbreaks from spreading undetected. “The 2014 Ebola outbreak taught us that community trust is as important as laboratory equipment. The government must work with traditional and religious leaders to ensure that if Ebola comes, people will come forward for testing rather than hiding,” said Dr. Oyewale Tomori, a virologist and former WHO regional advisor.
The Federal Ministry of Health has not yet issued a separate statement, but the NCDC’s assurance is expected to be amplified by state governments and health partners. As the DRC battles its outbreak, Nigeria is watching closely, and its health authorities are reminding the public that while fear is understandable, preparation is what truly saves lives. The 2014 victory over Ebola was not an accident; it was the result of swift, coordinated action by a nation that refused to be defeated. That same resolve, the NCDC says, remains intact.
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