The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has approved a weekly payment of ₦100,000 per person to support individuals placed in isolation or quarantine following an imported Ebola case in Abuja.
The NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this on Sunday, October 25, 2026, during a briefing on Nigeria’s response to the outbreak. He said the financial support was introduced after some contacts raised concerns about the cost of feeding, accommodation and maintaining their families while undergoing public health monitoring.
Idris explained that the agency was providing accommodation and feeding for affected individuals, adding that the stipend would help ease their financial burden and encourage compliance with public health measures.
He described the payment as an emergency intervention that was not initially planned but became necessary under the circumstances. He added that the arrangement would be reviewed as the response progressed.
The NCDC chief also urged state governments to make adequate financial and logistical provisions for similar emergencies, stressing that the responsibility for supporting contact tracing, isolation and other response activities should not rest solely on the Federal Capital Territory.
As of Sunday’s briefing, Nigeria had recorded one confirmed Ebola case, with 53 primary contacts identified for monitoring. The contacts included healthcare workers, household members, domestic staff and personnel involved in collecting samples from the patient.
According to Idris, public health teams were categorising the contacts based on their level of exposure and monitoring them for symptoms. Individuals who develop symptoms would be assessed and tested, while contacts requiring isolation would receive appropriate support.
The NCDC had established isolation arrangements and was monitoring contacts throughout the 21-day incubation period following their last possible exposure. Idris also disclosed that one contact who reported feeling unwell had tested negative.
The confirmed case involves a woman who travelled to Nigeria from Uganda. She developed symptoms on October 7, sought medical attention in Abuja on October 11 and tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus on October 20.
The World Health Organisation has identified the case as an imported infection, with investigations continuing to determine the likely source of exposure. The regional outbreak has also affected the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya, prompting increased attention to cross-border surveillance and contact tracing.
Nigeria previously contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 through case identification, contact tracing, isolation and coordinated public health interventions.
Idris said the NCDC was applying lessons from the previous outbreak while strengthening preparedness across the country. He urged Nigerians to rely on verified information, avoid spreading rumours and cooperate with public health officials.
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