Nigeria confirms Ebola case in Abuja, 44 contacts traced
- The Federal Government has confirmed one Ebola case in the FCT, Abuja.
- The patient is a woman who arrived from Uganda and is now in isolation.
- Health authorities have identified 44 close contacts and are monitoring them.
Nigeria's Federal Government has confirmed a single case of Ebola in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The patient is a woman who recently flew into the country from Uganda.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the development in a statement on Tuesday, 20 October 2026. He said the woman was first treated at a private hospital in the FCT for several days before laboratory tests confirmed Ebola. She is now in isolation and receiving medical care.
Public health teams have already identified 44 people who had close contact with the woman. These include healthcare workers, other patients, caregivers and people she may have met during her travel. Authorities are working to find and monitor anyone else who might have been exposed.
What happens next
The Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the FCT Health Services Secretariat are leading the response. Surveillance has been stepped up, and the private hospital where the woman was treated is getting support to tighten infection control.
All public and private hospitals across the country have been placed on high alert. Health workers are asked to be vigilant, isolate any suspected case immediately and report it to public health authorities without delay.
Pate urged Nigerians to stay calm and follow basic precautions: wash hands regularly with soap and water, and avoid touching the blood or body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola. He also warned against spreading rumours or stigmatising people who may have been exposed.
According to the World Health Organisation, Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of infected people, or with contaminated objects and surfaces. People infected do not transmit the virus before symptoms appear, and the incubation period ranges from two to 21 days.
Symptoms to watch for include fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, especially in anyone who may have been exposed. Anyone with symptoms should avoid close contact with others and call health authorities for guidance before going to a hospital.
People contacted by tracing teams, including airline passengers who may have been exposed, are asked to provide the information needed and follow official advice.
Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 after an infected traveller brought the disease into the country. That response relied on quick case identification, isolation, contact tracing and coordinated public health action.
Pate said Nigeria has the experience and systems to handle this case, but stressed that stopping further spread will depend on public cooperation.
The Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease and the NCDC will continue to provide updates. For information or to report a suspected case, the NCDC's toll-free line 6232 is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
