Nigeria Intensifies Ebola Screening for Returning Hajj Pilgrims
By Abdulrazaq Auwal
Nigeria has intensified Ebola surveillance at its international airports as thousands of pilgrims begin returning from the 2026 Hajj in Saudi Arabia, with health and aviation authorities implementing enhanced screening measures to prevent the possible importation of the virus.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), in collaboration with aviation agencies, has introduced mandatory health screening procedures at designated airports receiving returning pilgrims and other international travelers.
The first batch of Nigerian pilgrims began arriving through major international gateways prompting heightened public health monitoring.
Speaking in an interview with Hajj Gazette at Gombe International airport shortly after arrival of the last batch of Gombe pilgrims, Acting Airport Manager of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Epson Essai Pensur, said the measures form part of the country’s preparedness plan following concerns over the Ebola outbreak in parts of East Africa.
“First of all, if you look at the global situation, the World Health Organization has already declared Ebola a global pandemic. What we are doing here is a public health exercise and action plan aimed at protecting the public and identifying any suspected Ebola cases,” he said.
Under the new protocol, all passengers travelling to Nigeria must complete an Ebola Health Declaration Form before boarding their flights, while health officials conduct temperature checks and other health assessments on arriving travelers at points of entry.
Pensur said health officials have not detected any suspected Ebola case among the returning pilgrims screened so far in Gombe State.
“As of yesterday, we had not recorded any suspected Ebola case. As you can see, we are almost 80 per cent through the screening process, and up to now, there has been no record or report of any suspected case,” he stated.
He noted that the exercise underscores the commitment of airport authorities to passenger safety and efficient air transport operations.
The screening initiative follows international health alerts over the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has prompted countries around the world to strengthen border health surveillance.
Authorities have also deployed NCDC officials, airport medical teams and other support personnel to assist travelers who may encounter difficulties completing the required health declaration procedures.
Although Nigeria has not recorded any Ebola-related cases, health experts have urged returning pilgrims and other international travelers to remain vigilant and report symptoms such as fever, weakness, vomiting, or unexplained bleeding to health authorities without delay.
