The Federal Government has confirmed a case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and identified 44 close contacts as authorities intensify efforts to prevent further transmission.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following laboratory confirmation of the infection.
According to the minister, the patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda and was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed.
The woman has been isolated and is receiving medical care, while public health authorities have commenced contact tracing to identify and monitor people who may have been exposed to the virus.
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 alongside other relevant authorities.
Identified Contacts Being Monitored
The government said the 44 identified contacts were being monitored, with efforts continuing to identify additional potentially exposed individuals, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and people who may have travelled with the patient.
Surveillance has also been intensified, while the hospital where the woman was treated is receiving support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
FG Issues Alert to Hospitals
The Federal Government has directed public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain vigilant and maintain a high index of suspicion for possible Ebola infections.
Healthcare workers have been instructed to identify and isolate suspected cases promptly, observe strict infection prevention and control protocols, and report suspected infections immediately to public health authorities.
Pate urged Nigerians to remain calm and follow preventive measures, including regular handwashing and avoiding contact with the blood or other body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.
He identified fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea among the symptoms people should watch for, particularly if they may have been exposed to the infection.
Anyone who develops symptoms after a possible exposure should avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility, the minister advised.
The government also appealed to people contacted during the tracing exercise, including potentially exposed airline passengers, to cooperate with health officials and comply with monitoring instructions.
Nigeria Steps Up Preparedness Amid Regional Outbreak
The confirmation comes amid concerns about the risk of Ebola spreading across countries in the region.
According to the report, the NCDC had issued an advisory on October 6 warning of the risk of importing the infection following a confirmed case in Kenya linked to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The World Health Organisation says Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of infected people, as well as contaminated objects and surfaces.
People infected with the virus do not transmit it before symptoms develop. The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days.
Nigeria previously contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 after an infected traveller introduced the virus into the country. The response relied on rapid case identification, isolation, contact tracing and coordinated public health interventions.
Pate said Nigeria had the experience and public health systems needed to respond to the current case, but stressed that preventing further transmission would require public cooperation.
The Federal Government said investigations were continuing and that the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease, alongside the NCDC, would provide further updates.
Members of the public can contact the NCDC’s toll-free call centre on 6232, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for information or to report a suspected case.
