Tinubu Approves N10bn Ebola Preparedness Fund, Sets Up Presidential Task Force
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, alongside the immediate release of ₦10 billion as emergency intervention funding.
The fund is expected to strengthen the operational readiness of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support nationwide public health emergency response efforts amid renewed concerns over Ebola outbreaks in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
According to the Presidency, the task force will be chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and will include representatives from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as state governments.
The approval followed a high-level stakeholder meeting convened to assess Nigeria’s preparedness and coordinate strategies aimed at preventing the importation of the virus into the country.
Participants at the meeting included officials from the Ministry of Interior, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Lagos State Government, and other key institutions.
As part of the new measures, President Tinubu directed states with international airports and border corridors to submit detailed preparedness plans, funding requirements, and intervention proposals for coordinated federal support.
The task force is also mandated to intensify passenger screening at all international airports, including enhanced temperature checks and crowd-control protocols, as well as strengthen monitoring of travellers arriving from high-risk airline routes such as Air Uganda, Rwanda Air, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways, and Ethiopian Airlines.
Other approved measures include the immediate activation of referral and isolation centres at Lagos and Abuja international airports, with expansion to other airports, mandatory QR code-based health declaration systems for travellers from designated high-risk countries, and environmental disinfection of airport facilities, cargo areas, and baggage zones.
The government also directed consultations with security, diplomatic, and aviation authorities to regulate flights from affected regions, designate specific terminals for high-risk arrivals, and adjust flight scheduling to reduce contact between categories of passengers.
The Presidency said the initiative is part of proactive efforts to safeguard public health and strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness against emerging infectious diseases.
Tinubu Approves N10bn Ebola Preparedness Fund, Sets Up Presidential Task Force