The worsening outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in parts of Africa has triggered fresh anxiety among Nigerians, as infections and deaths continue to rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and neighbouring countries.
The outbreak, which has already forced several countries to tighten border surveillance, has revived memories of Nigeria’s 2014 Ebola experience and raised concerns about the possibility of cross-border transmission.
Although no case has been detected in Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has assured citizens that it is closely monitoring developments and strengthening surveillance at all points of entry, especially international airports.
Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, said the agency was working with local and international partners, including the Port Health Services of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, to ensure that Nigeria remains prepared.
“We are aware of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the DRC and recent reports of a confirmed imported case in Uganda linked to the outbreak in the DRC. We have activated all our public health emergency measures to ensure proper response. This includes enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, case management, contact tracing, and risk communication activities,” Idris said.
Despite the assurance, many Nigerians remain worried, citing the country’s porous land borders, weak public health systems in some areas, and fears that airport and border checks may not be strict enough.
Some Nigerians have also urged President Bola Tinubu and members of his delegation who recently returned from East African countries, including Kenya and Rwanda, to observe the recommended 21-day monitoring period as a precautionary measure.
According to the NCDC, Ebola Virus Disease is a severe viral illness caused by the Bundibugyo Ebola virus. It is transmitted mainly through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, secretions or contaminated materials of infected persons or animals.
Health experts say the incubation period ranges from two to 21 days. Symptoms include fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, unexplained bleeding.
They warned that because the early symptoms may resemble malaria, typhoid and other common illnesses in Nigeria, health workers must maintain a high index of suspicion, especially where a patient has a travel or exposure history linked to affected countries.
Across the country, the news of the outbreak has already changed daily habits for some citizens.
A secondary school teacher, Folake Adeyemi, said the memory of the 2014 outbreak still frightens her.
“2014 still feels like yesterday. It’s not an experience I would ever want to have. Now I carry hand sanitiser everywhere and I’ve told my students not to share water bottles and to wash their hands regularly. Maybe I’m overreacting, but I would rather overreact and be safe,” she said.
A commercial driver, Homa Umeorah, said he follows NCDC updates online but worries that people in rural areas may not receive timely information.
“I can read the updates online, but my parents in the village don’t use smartphones. If something happens, how will they know? The government needs to use radio and town criers, not just social media,” he said.
A hairdresser, Susan Oghenero, said she has become more careful with tools used in her shop.
“We use scissors, clippers and combs for different people. Since I heard about the outbreak, I have been concerned, but it has always been my practice to sterilise everything after each client and wash my hands between customers. I can only pray we don’t experience that epidemic again,” she said.
The World Health Organization has also expressed concern over the outbreak after a rapid rise in suspected infections and deaths in Central and East Africa.
WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency after confirming that at least 81 suspected deaths and more than 246 confirmed cases had been recorded in affected countries as of Sunday, May 17, 2026.
By Wednesday, WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said more than 600 cases and 130 deaths had been recorded, warning that the figures were likely to rise as surveillance, testing and contact tracing expand.