Ebola Alert: Lagos Strengthens Airport Surveillance to Prevent Importation of Deadly Virus
By Fortune Osita Chukwuemeka
E-ISSN: 2354-4481
The Lagos State Government has intensified disease surveillance and emergency preparedness measures at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) as part of efforts to prevent the importation of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) into Nigeria following fresh outbreaks reported in parts of East and Central Africa.
Leading a high-level preparedness inspection and facility assessment at Nigeria’s busiest international airport, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, described MMIA as the country’s most vulnerable entry point for imported infectious diseases due to its handling of nearly 70 percent of all international passenger traffic into Nigeria.
Abayomi disclosed that the state government is strengthening systems for early detection, rapid isolation, emergency evacuation, and monitoring of suspected Ebola cases. He added that authorities are also enhancing digital surveillance mechanisms and passenger-tracking procedures, particularly for travellers arriving from countries classified as high-risk.
According to him, the objective is to ensure that robust health security measures are implemented without causing unnecessary disruptions to airport operations or inconveniencing passengers.
“The primary purpose of our visit is to understand how we can support your efforts, identify existing gaps, and jointly develop practical solutions. Our objective is to create a bottleneck for the virus, not for passengers,” Abayomi stated.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s successful containment of Ebola in 2014 after the virus was imported from Liberia, the commissioner noted that the experience remains one of the country’s most significant public health achievements.
“Almost eleven years ago, we experienced the importation of Ebola into Lagos from Liberia during the largest Ebola outbreak in recorded history. We were able to contain what became a relatively small outbreak in Lagos through the dedication and sacrifices of our healthcare workers, including the late Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh,” he said.
He stressed that the lessons from the 2014 outbreak continue to shape Nigeria’s public health response strategies, particularly in an era of increased global mobility and cross-border disease transmission.
Abayomi further revealed that the government is exploring additional measures aimed at reducing contact between passengers arriving from designated high-risk countries and other travellers, while maintaining smooth airport operations.
The inspection exercise brought together officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, the Lagos State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, Port Health Services, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Also speaking during the visit, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, described airport personnel as Nigeria’s first line of defence against imported infectious diseases.
“The frontline actually begins here at our ports of entry. As passengers arrive, you are among the very first people to interact with them, making your role critical in our disease surveillance and response efforts,” Ogunyemi said.
She emphasized that health security should be treated with the same level of importance as other national security concerns and assured airport personnel of the state government’s continued support in strengthening preparedness efforts.
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Dayo Lajide, commended the strong collaboration among airport authorities, Port Health Services, and state health officials, describing it as vital to preventing the spread of diseases of international concern such as Ebola.
Providing an update on the airport’s readiness, the Head of Port Health Services at MMIA, Dr. Lawal Abdullahi, disclosed that the airport reviewed and updated its Public Health Emergency Contingency Plan on March 18, 2026, in anticipation of emerging health threats linked to the latest Ebola developments in East Africa.
Abdullahi revealed that the Airport Public Health Emergency Management Team has already been activated, while a comprehensive risk assessment was conducted to identify countries of concern and strengthen surveillance activities at the airport.
He further stated that passenger screening measures were deployed before the activation of the national health declaration platform and that traveller information is routinely shared with Lagos State epidemiology teams to facilitate timely follow-up and response actions.
The General Manager of Aviation Medical Services at FAAN, Dr. Bilkis Ibrahim, announced that additional personal protective equipment (PPE), multilingual health advisories, and specialized training programmes are being deployed to improve preparedness among airport workers.
Similarly, the Aeromedical Assessor of the NCAA, Dr. Abayomi Asunbo, disclosed that the regulatory authority has directed all airlines operating designated international routes to strictly comply with public health protocols before passengers are cleared for entry into Nigeria.
At the conclusion of the inspection, Lagos State officials, airport authorities, and federal agencies reaffirmed their commitment to coordinated surveillance, rapid response mechanisms, and information sharing as part of efforts to protect Lagos and Nigeria from Ebola and other emerging infectious disease threats.
The inspection tour also featured an assessment of key passenger screening points and emergency response facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, reinforcing the state’s commitment to safeguarding public health and national security.
