Nigeria only 59% prepared for possible Ebola outbreak — NCDC raises fresh alarm

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has warned that Nigeria is only 59 per cent prepared to respond to a potential Ebola outbreak, amid renewed concerns over infections recorded in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Director-General of the agency, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed this on Monday during an interview on Arise Television, noting that while Nigeria has strengthened its health systems over the years, significant gaps still exist in national preparedness.

Idris said recent risk assessments conducted by the NCDC revealed critical weaknesses, especially at the country’s points of entry, including airports and land borders, which remain vulnerable to disease importation.

According to him, the assessment was designed to evaluate Nigeria’s readiness, identify gaps, and improve response capacity in the event of an outbreak.

“Our latest assessment puts Nigeria’s preparedness level at about 59 per cent. But preparedness is dynamic; you can never be 100 per cent ready because situations keep changing,” he said.

He explained that the evaluation covered key areas such as isolation centres, emergency operations systems, laboratory capacity, and stockpiles of medical supplies required for outbreak response.

The NCDC boss also revealed that federal health authorities have issued new protocols to tighten surveillance at entry points, particularly international airports, to reduce the risk of infected individuals entering the country.

States with international airports, he said, have been classified as high-risk due to their role as major gateways into Nigeria.

However, Idris expressed deeper concern over Nigeria’s porous land borders, noting that many travellers enter the country through unofficial routes that are difficult to monitor.

He added that Nigeria’s experience in containing the 2014 Ebola outbreak remains a major reference point for current preparedness efforts, saying the country has since expanded laboratory networks and surveillance systems nationwide.

Despite ongoing outbreaks of cholera, Lassa fever, and other infectious diseases currently stretching the health system, Idris expressed confidence that continued investments would improve Nigeria’s response capacity.

The NCDC has repeatedly warned that ongoing Ebola transmission in parts of Central and East Africa, combined with increased international travel, heightens the risk of importation into Nigeria, making sustained vigilance essential.