Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has strengthened border surveillance measures against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), saying travellers arriving from countries with active or relevant Ebola transmission may be required to complete health declaration forms.
The measure comes as Nigeria responds to the continuing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where thousands of confirmed cases and deaths have been recorded.
The NCDC’s latest position means the health declaration requirement is being targeted at travellers considered relevant to the current Ebola risk rather than automatically applying the same requirement to every international traveller.
According to reporting on the NCDC’s interim public health advisory, the agency said the enhanced surveillance measures are designed to reduce the risk of Ebola being imported into Nigeria and to support early detection if a suspected case arrives in the country.
Why Nigeria is strengthening surveillance
Nigeria’s response is linked to the ongoing Ebola situation in the DRC, where the outbreak has continued to expand across multiple health zones.
Figures reported from the DRC’s latest situation data showed 7,672 confirmed Ebola cases and 3,699 deaths as of September 19, 2026, with a reported case-fatality rate of 48.2 per cent. The outbreak had affected 63 health zones across seven provinces.
The affected provinces include Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, Bas-Uélé and Sud-Ubangi.
Ituri remains the main centre of transmission, accounting for the largest share of confirmed cases. The scale of the outbreak has increased concerns about cross-border transmission, particularly because people continue to travel between African countries for business, family, trade, humanitarian work and other purposes.
Nigeria has therefore continued to strengthen surveillance at points of entry, including airports and other international gateways.
What travellers may be required to do
The NCDC’s health declaration system collects information that can help public-health authorities assess a traveller’s potential exposure and monitor symptoms.
The official NCDC health declaration platform asks travellers for personal and travel information, including their country of departure, countries visited during the previous 21 days, transit countries, port of entry and destination in Nigeria.
The form also asks about symptoms that may be relevant to Ebola and other infectious diseases.
These include fever, headache, weakness, body aches, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, difficulty breathing, rash, jaundice, sore throat and unexplained bleeding, among other symptoms.
Travellers are also asked whether they have had contact with someone who was unwell and whether they became ill before boarding or during their journey.
The system includes a 21-day post-arrival follow-up requirement for travellers covered by the public-health surveillance process. The NCDC form states that a State Surveillance Team may contact travellers by telephone, SMS or in person to monitor their health during that period.
Nigeria remains focused on preventing importation
The latest measures do not mean that Nigeria has confirmed an Ebola outbreak.
Earlier NCDC guidance issued during the current regional Ebola situation stated that Nigeria had no confirmed case of the outbreak at the time of the advisory, while assessing the risk of importation as high because of regional transmission, international travel, population movement, airports, seaports and land borders.
The agency has also previously identified porous land borders and informal crossings as challenges for disease surveillance.
This is significant because Nigeria has extensive connections with other African countries through aviation, road transport, trade and migration.
The country’s public-health authorities therefore have to balance the need for effective disease surveillance with the continued movement of people and goods.
What the health declaration is designed to achieve
Health declaration forms are part of a broader surveillance system rather than a diagnostic test by themselves.
Their purpose is to provide health authorities with information that can help identify travellers who may require additional assessment or follow-up.
The NCDC’s official health declaration platform describes the system as a measure intended to help prevent the spread and monitor the possible importation of infectious diseases.
For Ebola specifically, travel history is important because symptoms can initially resemble other illnesses.
The NCDC’s Ebola case definition includes recent travel to the DRC, Uganda or another country reporting suspected or confirmed Ebola cases as one factor that can contribute to the classification of a suspected case, particularly when combined with relevant symptoms.
This makes information about a traveller’s recent movements important to public-health teams investigating possible cases.
Nigeria has previously used enhanced border surveillance
Nigeria’s increased attention to Ebola at its points of entry is not new.
During previous Ebola outbreaks, the NCDC introduced measures including enhanced point-of-entry surveillance and health declaration procedures for travellers arriving from affected areas.
NCDC records show that during an earlier Ebola outbreak, passengers arriving from Uganda and people who had transited through Uganda were subject to health monitoring for 21 days after arrival in Nigeria.
The current response follows the same broad public-health principle: identify possible exposure early, monitor people who may be at risk and respond rapidly if symptoms develop.
The wider Ebola situation in Africa
The current outbreak in the DRC is being driven by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus.
The outbreak was declared in May 2026 and has since become a major regional public-health concern.
As of September 19, the DRC had recorded 7,672 confirmed cases and 3,699 deaths. A total of 1,879 patients had recovered, while 886 people were reported to be hospitalised or in isolation.
The outbreak has also created significant operational challenges for health workers, including insecurity, population movement and difficulties accessing some affected areas.
Uganda, which also experienced Bundibugyo Ebola cases linked to the wider regional outbreak, subsequently declared its outbreak over after no further transmission was recorded for the required period. Current international surveillance information continues to identify the DRC as the principal active centre of the outbreak.
What travellers to Nigeria should know
Travellers arriving from an Ebola-affected country should expect health authorities to ask questions about their recent travel history and health condition where the surveillance rules apply.
Providing accurate information is important because health officials use travel and symptom information to determine whether additional monitoring or assessment may be necessary.
The NCDC’s health declaration system requires travellers to provide information about countries visited during the previous 21 days and relevant health symptoms.
People who develop symptoms associated with Ebola after travelling from an affected area should seek guidance from health authorities rather than concealing their travel history.
The NCDC operates a toll-free public-health line at 6232 for health-related enquiries.
Why the development matters
Nigeria’s decision to strengthen Ebola surveillance at its borders reflects the importance of early detection in preventing imported infectious diseases from developing into wider outbreaks.
Nigeria is one of Africa’s most populous countries and has extensive international travel connections. Its major airports, seaports and land borders serve millions of travellers and facilitate substantial movement across the region.
For public-health authorities, detecting a possible case at the point of entry can provide an opportunity to isolate, investigate and monitor the individual before potential transmission occurs in communities.
The approach is also important because Ebola can cause severe disease and requires rapid public-health intervention when a suspected case is identified.
At the same time, the existence of enhanced screening should not be interpreted as confirmation that Ebola is circulating in Nigeria. The measures are precautionary and surveillance-focused, responding to the risk posed by transmission elsewhere.
What happens next
The NCDC is expected to continue monitoring the Ebola situation in the DRC and other affected areas while adjusting Nigeria’s preparedness measures according to the level of risk.
Travellers from countries with active or relevant Ebola transmission may therefore face additional health surveillance when entering Nigeria.
The country’s preparedness efforts are expected to remain focused on surveillance at points of entry, rapid identification of suspected cases, laboratory testing, contact monitoring and coordination with state and international health authorities.
For the public, the central message remains the importance of accurate health information, early reporting of concerning symptoms and cooperation with public-health officials.
As the Ebola outbreak in the DRC continues to evolve, Nigeria’s border surveillance measures are intended to reduce the possibility that an imported case could go undetected and trigger local transmission.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Nigeria Health Declaration Form.
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, National Public Health Advisory on state preparedness for Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease.
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Ebola Viral Disease Case Definitions, Version 2.
- Punch, “Ebola: NCDC to screen travellers from affected countries.”
- Channels Television, “NCDC Releases Advisory On Ebola, Says Nigeria On ‘High Alert’.”
- Africanews/Associated Press, latest DRC Ebola outbreak figures.
