Nigeria considers flight restrictions from Uganda, DRC over Ebola spread

Nigeria is considering imposing flight restrictions on travellers arriving from Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and South Sudan following growing concerns over the spread of Ebola in parts of Africa.

The move was discussed during a high-level emergency meeting held on Thursday in Victoria Island, Lagos, where top government officials reviewed the country’s preparedness and response strategy against the deadly virus.

Among those present at the meeting were Jide Idris, director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC); Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior; Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to the president; and Akin Abayomi, Lagos state commissioner for health.

Speaking after the meeting, Gbajabiamila said President Bola Tinubu had been fully briefed on the Ebola situation in the affected countries and assured Nigerians that proactive steps were being taken to prevent an outbreak within the country.

“We are dealing with a potential health threat, and we all remember the impact of the previous Ebola outbreak,” he said.

According to him, the meeting examined several precautionary measures, including the possibility of restricting flights from countries currently experiencing Ebola cases, isolating travellers who show symptoms, and strengthening screening procedures at points of entry.

Officials also discussed the use of cargo terminals for handling passengers arriving from high-risk countries as part of broader containment protocols.

Gbajabiamila stressed that prevention remained the government’s top priority, adding that systems must also be in place to manage any suspected cases that may evade initial screening.

Tunji-Ojo said immigration authorities had been directed to intensify surveillance at all entry points into Nigeria, noting that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) would collaborate closely with the NCDC on early detection and rapid response efforts.

The NCDC director-general disclosed that emergency preparedness plans had already been activated across the 36 states of the federation, while public awareness campaigns would be expanded to educate Nigerians on Ebola prevention and response measures.