Lagos Tightens MMIA Surveillance to Prevent Imported Ebola Cases Amid New Threat

By Chioma Obinna

The Lagos State Government has tightened surveillance and emergency preparedness at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) to prevent the importation of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) amid renewed outbreaks in East and Central Africa.

During a high‑level inspection of the country’s busiest international gateway, Lagos Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi highlighted that MMIA remains Nigeria’s most vulnerable entry point for imported infectious diseases, handling about 70 percent of international passenger traffic.

Abayomi said Lagos is enhancing early detection, rapid isolation and emergency evacuation procedures for suspected Ebola cases, while improving digital surveillance and monitoring of passengers arriving from high‑risk countries.

He stated, “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.”

Recounting Nigeria’s 2014 containment of Ebola that was imported into Lagos from Liberia, Abayomi noted the outbreak remains a key public‑health lesson. “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, thanks to the sacrifices of dedicated healthcare workers, including the late Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh,” he said.

He added that the memories of that outbreak remind health authorities that preparedness must remain constant in an era of increasing global travel and interconnectedness. Lessons from the COVID‑19 pandemic further reinforced the need for close collaboration between Lagos State and federal agencies at the airport, helping establish one of the country’s strongest passenger‑surveillance systems.

Abayomi disclosed that authorities were also considering measures to reduce interaction between passengers arriving from designated high‑risk countries and other travellers without disrupting airport operations.

The inspection tour involved officials from 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).

Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu on Health Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi described airport personnel as Nigeria’s frontline 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,” she said.

Ogunyemi stressed that health security must be treated with the same seriousness as every other national‑security concern and assured airport workers of the state government’s continued support.

Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health Dr. Dayo Lajide praised the collaboration between airport authorities, Port Health Services and state officials, describing it as critical to strengthening preparedness against diseases of international concern such as Ebola. He urged frontline workers to remain vigilant and adhere strictly to infection prevention and control protocols while carrying out surveillance duties. “As frontline responders, your safety is paramount. Continue to follow all IPC measures diligently because while you are protecting Nigeria from potential health threats, you must also ensure that you are protected from exposure and risk,” he said.

Airport Manager and Regional General Manager, South‑West MMIA Mr. Olatokunbo Arewa noted that additional preparedness infrastructure, including touchless hand‑sanitiser systems and temperature‑detection equipment, had already been deployed across the airport. He also revealed that discussions were ongoing regarding the establishment of dedicated arrival processing channels for passengers arriving from high‑risk countries to strengthen surveillance and screening operations. “Ebola is a highly dangerous disease and any suspected case must be isolated quickly and professionally to prevent transmission,” he warned.

Head of Port Health Services at MMIA Dr. Lawal Abdullahi reported that the airport reviewed and updated its Public Health Emergency Contingency Plan on 18 March 2026, ahead of the latest Ebola developments in East Africa. The Airport Public Health Emergency Management Team had already been activated, and a comprehensive risk assessment was conducted to identify countries of concern and guide surveillance activities at the airport. Passenger screening mechanisms were deployed before the activation of the national health declaration platform, and traveller information was routinely shared with Lagos State epidemiology teams to strengthen follow‑up and response activities.

General Manager of Aviation Medical Services, FAAN Dr. Bilkis Ibrahim disclosed that additional personal protective equipment, multilingual health advisories and staff training programmes were being deployed to strengthen preparedness among airport workers.

Aeromedical Assessor of the NCAA Dr. Abayomi Asunbo revealed that the regulatory authority had directed all airlines operating designated international routes to comply fully with public health protocols before passengers are cleared into Nigeria.

Lagos State officials, airport authorities and federal agencies reaffirmed their commitment to coordinated surveillance, rapid response and information sharing aimed at protecting Lagos and Nigeria from Ebola and other infectious‑disease threats.

The highlight of the visit was the inspection of major screening points and emergency response facilities at MMIA.

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