The Nigerian federal government has confirmed a single case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and has identified 44 close contacts as part of urgent efforts to prevent further spread.
Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, announced the laboratory-confirmed case in a statement issued on Tuesday, 20 October 2026. The patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda. She was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT and received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed. She is now in isolation and receiving medical care.
Public health teams from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), and the FCT Health Services Secretariat have begun tracing the 44 identified contacts. They are also working to identify and monitor others who may have been exposed, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts. Surveillance has been intensified, and the hospital treating the patient is receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
Healthcare facilities across the country have been urged to remain on high alert. Workers are directed to maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, follow strict infection prevention protocols, and report any suspected infections to public health authorities without delay.
Professor Pate advised Nigerians to remain calm while observing basic preventive measures, including regular handwashing and avoiding contact with the blood or other body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola. Symptoms to watch for include fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly among people who may have been exposed. Anyone who develops these symptoms should avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
Those contacted during the tracing exercise, including potentially exposed airline passengers, have been asked to provide the necessary information and comply with official guidance.
The confirmation comes against the backdrop of an evolving regional Ebola outbreak. On 6 October the NCDC had issued an advisory highlighting the risk of importation following a confirmed case in Kenya linked to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
According to the World Health Organization, Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of infected people, or with contaminated objects and surfaces. Infected individuals do not transmit the virus before symptoms appear. The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days.
Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 after the disease was introduced by an infected traveller, using rapid case identification, isolation, contact tracing and coordinated public health action. Professor Pate said the country retains the experience and public health systems needed to respond to the current case, but stressed that preventing further transmission will require public cooperation.
Investigations are continuing. The Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease and the NCDC will provide further updates. Members of the public can contact the NCDC’s toll-free call centre on 6232, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for information or to report a suspected case.