The Federal Government has confirmed one case of Ebola disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and commenced contact tracing, with 44 close contacts identified as part of efforts to prevent further transmission.
This is coming 12 years after the first ever case of the disease in the country. Health and Social Welfare Minister Muhammad Ali Pate disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following laboratory confirmation of the case. “A woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed,” the statement noted. The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), and the FCT Health Services Secretariat are working with other relevant authorities to contain the infection and prevent further spread. The government stated that public health teams had begun tracing the 44 identified contacts and were working to identify and monitor others who might have been exposed, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers, and travel contacts. Surveillance has also been intensified, while the hospital where the patient was treated is receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures. The government has urged public and private healthcare facilities across the country to remain on high alert, directing healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, observe strict infection prevention and control protocols, and immediately report suspected infections to public health authorities. The minister advised Nigerians to remain calm while observing preventive measures, including regular handwashing and avoiding contact with the blood or other body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.