BREAKING: FG Confirms Ebola Case in Abuja, Identifies 44 Contacts
The Federal Government has confirmed Nigeria’s first reported case of Ebola disease in the current incident, involving a 44-year-old woman who arrived in the country on an international flight from Uganda.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following laboratory confirmation of the infection in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
According to the minister, the patient was admitted to a private hospital in Abuja, where she received treatment for several days before tests confirmed the disease. She has since been isolated and is receiving medical care.
Health authorities have identified 44 close contacts and commenced contact tracing to prevent further transmission. The contacts include healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and individuals who may have been exposed to the patient during her journey.
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, with surveillance and infection prevention measures strengthened.
The Federal Government has also alerted public and private hospitals nationwide, directing healthcare workers to promptly identify, isolate and report suspected Ebola cases.
Nigerians have been urged to remain calm, practise regular handwashing and avoid contact with the blood and other body fluids of anyone suspected of having the infection.
Symptoms to watch for include fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea. Anyone who develops symptoms after possible exposure is advised to contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
The government has appealed to individuals contacted by public health teams, including potentially exposed airline passengers, to cooperate fully with contact-tracing efforts.
The development comes amid regional concerns over Ebola transmission. Nigeria previously contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 through rapid case detection, isolation, contact tracing and coordinated public health interventions.
Pate assured Nigerians that the country has the public health experience and structures required to respond to the situation, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to preventing further spread.
The government said investigations are ongoing and that the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease, alongside the NCDC, will provide further updates.
Members of the public can contact the NCDC’s toll-free line on **6232**, available 24 hours a day, for information or to report a suspected case.
