The Federal Government has intensified surveillance and health checks at all points of entry into Nigeria following the recent outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Director of Port Health Services at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Akpan Nse, confirmed the measures in an interview with PUNCH, noting that Nigeria faced “a risk of importing the virus due to high levels of international travel with the DRC.”
He assured that Port Health Services was fully on alert and had strengthened systems to prevent any importation.
“We have intensified surveillance at all points of entry—airports, land borders, and seaports. Every inbound traveller coming from Congo to Nigeria is thoroughly screened, and we collect their medical history through mandatory forms,” Nse said.
He explained that the checks also apply to passengers who transit through Congo before arriving in Nigeria. “We have reactivated our portals. Every passenger on every flight coming to Nigeria from Congo is screened upon arrival. This applies to airports, seaports, and land borders.”
According to him, additional health officers have been deployed nationwide with support from the World Health Organization (WHO). “Increasing the workforce allows us to effectively prevent the importation of the virus and ensure thorough screening at all borders,” he added.
The move follows reports that the DRC declared a fresh Ebola outbreak in Kasai Province, with at least 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths, including four health workers, as of September 4, 2025.
The WHO confirmed that the outbreak, detected in Bulape and Mweka health zones, is caused by the Ebola Zaire strain, the deadliest form of the virus. Patients were reported to have presented with symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, and haemorrhage.