The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention says the country lacks full preparedness for a potential Ebola emergency, with readiness standing at just 59 percent across key response areas.
The NCDC made this admission while reviewing the nation's disease surveillance systems and outbreak response capabilities. Officials identified critical gaps at points of entry and along porous borders as major vulnerabilities that could allow the virus to slip into the country undetected.
Ebola, which causes severe fever and haemorrhagic illness with a high fatality rate, last struck West Africa in 2014 when it killed thousands across Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Nigeria recorded 20 confirmed cases and eight deaths during that outbreak before the country was declared Ebola-free in October 2014.
The NCDC's assessment suggests that despite lessons from that crisis, significant work remains to strengthen the country's defences against future outbreaks. The centre did not specify which areas of preparedness fall short of acceptable standards, but border security and point-of-entry screening emerged as priority concerns in the review.
Porous borders have long posed challenges for Nigeria's public health authorities. The country shares land boundaries with Benin, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad, with many unofficial crossing points difficult for government agencies to monitor effectively. These same routes have previously facilitated the spread of other infectious diseases.
The NCDC's readiness assessment covers coordination between federal and state health agencies, availability of testing equipment, isolation facilities, trained personnel, and communication protocols for alerting the public during emergencies. A 59 percent rating means roughly four out of every ten critical preparedness measures remain incomplete or inadequate.
Nigeria has invested substantially in its disease surveillance network since 2014, establishing the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. However, funding constraints and competing health priorities have slowed implementation of some components.
The centre plans to conduct targeted interventions at high-risk border communities and upgrade screening facilities at major airports and seaports. State governments have been asked to conduct their own readiness assessments and submit remedial action plans to the NCDC within the next quarter.
