Ebola: Senate Takes Drastic Action, Orders Mandatory Screening For All Travellers Entering Nigeria

According to a report by DAILY POST on Wednesday 21 October 2026, the Nigerian Senate has urged the Federal Government to urgently release emergency funds to strengthen the country’s disease surveillance system and enforce compulsory health screening for all international travellers entering Nigeria.

The lawmakers said the measures were necessary to prevent the possible importation of the Ebola virus and other infectious diseases through international airports, seaports and designated land borders.

The resolution was reached following a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Francis Faduyile, who expressed concern over the spread of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus and the potential consequences for Nigeria’s public health system.

Faduyile warned that the outbreak, which originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), had extended to other African countries, including Uganda and Kenya.

He explained that the development increased the risk of infected individuals entering Nigeria through countries used as transit routes.

The senator also referred to an assessment by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), which identified a high risk of the virus being imported into Nigeria.

He recalled the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when an infected traveller brought the disease into Lagos, emphasising the need for the country to strengthen its defences against infectious diseases.

Although the government has introduced measures such as health declaration forms and increased surveillance at points of entry, the Senate expressed dissatisfaction with the restriction of screening to travellers arriving from selected countries.

According to the lawmakers, the existing arrangement could leave gaps in Nigeria’s disease surveillance network and increase the risk of an outbreak going undetected.

The Senate also raised concerns about insufficient health personnel and a lack of essential screening equipment at some entry points.

It further observed that Port Health Services still operates under the Quarantine Act of 1926, which the lawmakers believe should be replaced with a modern legal framework.

The lawmakers stressed that Nigeria must strengthen its preparedness, particularly given the country’s existing public health challenges involving diseases such as Lassa fever, cholera and diphtheria.

As part of its recommendations, the Senate directed the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC and Port Health Services to ensure that every international passenger arriving in Nigeria undergoes mandatory health checks, regardless of their nationality or country of departure.

The proposed procedures include the completion of health declaration forms, temperature checks and assessments for symptoms associated with infectious diseases.

The Senate also recommended stricter monitoring of passengers who had visited or travelled through Ebola-affected areas within the previous 21 days.

It further called for health screening of passengers departing Nigeria whenever a public health emergency has been officially declared.

To improve the implementation of the measures, the lawmakers urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigeria Immigration Service to provide adequate trained Port Health officers, thermal scanners, protective equipment and isolation facilities at the country’s entry points.

The government was also asked to ensure that isolation and treatment centres across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory are properly equipped to handle potential outbreaks.

On legal reforms, the Senate advocated the enactment of a new public health law to replace the existing Quarantine Act of 1926, with provisions consistent with the International Health Regulations of 2005.

The lawmakers also urged the relevant ministries responsible for finance, budget and economic planning to make adequate financial provisions for the NCDC and Port Health Services in the 2027 budget.

They called for the immediate release of outstanding funds to enable the agencies to improve disease surveillance, strengthen emergency response systems and protect the country against potential public health threats.

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