The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a high-alert directive to all domestic and international airlines operating in Nigeria, ordering immediate, enhanced port health surveillance at all international airports.
This swift regulatory intervention follows the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) formal declaration of the fresh Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
The current outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BVD) species, a rare and highly severe variant for which there are currently no widely licensed vaccines or specific therapeutics. The WHO and regional medical bodies sounded the alarm after more than 300 suspected cases, and over 131 fatalities were recorded within the East and Central African corridor.
Given high regional mobility, trade, and interconnected flight networks, the NCAA is taking pre-emptive measures to prevent cross-border transmission into Nigeria. The aviation regulatory body, in a circular, said the directive was necessary due to growing concerns about the spread of the disease and the aviation sector’s critical role in preventing cross-border transmission.
The authority noted that although no confirmed case linked to the outbreak has been recorded in Nigeria, it is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Port Health Services and international health organisations to closely monitor the situation.
According to the NCAA, health authorities in the DRC recently identified a cluster of severe illnesses among healthcare workers in the Bunia Health Zone in the country’s north-eastern region. The authority stated that there is currently no licensed vaccine specifically approved for the Bundibugyo strain, while treatment remains largely supportive and symptom-based.
The NCAA further directed pilots to notify Air Traffic Control of any suspected cases of communicable disease onboard aircraft, in line with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations. It also instructed flight crew members to complete and submit Aircraft General Declaration forms for all suspected cases, and mandated that airlines ensure passenger locator forms are completed and handed over to Port Health Services upon arrival.
The authority added that airlines must ensure that aircraft are properly equipped with first-aid kits, universal-precaution kits, and emergency medical kits. It also urged operators to reinforce crew training on the identification and management of communicable diseases and ensure strict adherence to infection prevention and control guidelines.
