Abuja -October 20, 2026
By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
The Federal Government has confirmed a case of Ebola disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, with public health authorities identifying 44 close contacts and commencing efforts to prevent further transmission.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following laboratory confirmation of the infection in a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria from Uganda.
According to the minister, the woman was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed. She has since been placed in isolation and is receiving medical care.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), and the FCT Health Services Secretariat are coordinating the response in collaboration with other relevant authorities.
The government said contact-tracing operations had commenced, with 44 close contacts identified for monitoring. Authorities are also working to identify other people who may have been exposed to the infection, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and individuals linked to the patient’s journey.
As part of the containment efforts, surveillance has been intensified, while the private hospital where the woman was treated is receiving support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
The Federal Government has directed public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain vigilant and promptly identify and isolate suspected cases. Healthcare workers have also been advised to observe strict infection prevention procedures and immediately report suspected infections to public health authorities.
Professor Pate urged Nigerians to remain calm and observe preventive measures, including regular handwashing with soap and water and avoiding direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.
Symptoms of the disease may include fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea. Anyone who develops such symptoms, particularly after possible exposure to an infected person, should avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
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The government also called on people contacted by public health officials during the tracing exercise to cooperate fully and provide accurate information to help prevent further transmission.
The development follows an earlier NCDC advisory issued on October 6, which raised concerns about the risk of Ebola entering Nigeria after an imported case was reported in Kenya in connection with the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who has developed symptoms, as well as contaminated objects and surfaces. The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days.
Nigeria experienced an Ebola outbreak in 2014 after an infected traveller introduced the virus into the country. A coordinated response involving case identification, isolation, contact tracing and public health interventions helped contain the outbreak.
Reassuring Nigerians, the minister said the country had experience and public health structures to respond to the current case, while emphasising that public cooperation would be essential to preventing further infections.
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The government said investigations and surveillance activities were continuing, with the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease and the NCDC expected to provide further updates.
Members of the public seeking information or wishing to report a suspected case can contact the NCDC’s toll-free call centre on 6232, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Merit Newspaper advises members of the public to follow official updates from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the NCDC, and to avoid spreading unverified information about the outbreak.
