ABUJA, October 22, 2026. Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to notify domestic and international airlines of a 21-day no-fly restriction for 46 people who had contact with a woman confirmed to have Ebola virus disease, as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to contain the country’s latest case in the Federal Capital Territory.

The directive followed a virtual meeting on Wednesday between Keyamo and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, to coordinate measures aimed at preventing further transmission of the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.

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According to Keyamo, the group comprises 44 people who came into contact with the patient at a private hospital in Abuja after she developed symptoms, alongside two members of her domestic staff.

Authorities are also working to isolate the identified contacts while monitoring their health and determining whether any have contracted the infection.

Explaining the decision, Keyamo said Pate had shared details of the identified contacts with him during their discussions.

“Whilst efforts are ongoing to isolate them for now until there is certainty they had not been infected with the virus, the aviation authorities are required to put them on a no-fly list for at least 21 days,” Keyamo said.

He added that the NCAA had been directed to communicate the restriction to all local and international airlines immediately.

The measure forms part of a wider public health response following laboratory confirmation of Nigeria’s first reported Ebola case since the 2014 outbreak. The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) have activated response arrangements, with contact tracing and infection prevention measures under way.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed on October 20 that the patient had tested positive for Bundibugyo virus disease. The woman had recently travelled to Nigeria from Uganda and developed symptoms on October 7, four days after arriving in the country. She sought treatment at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11 and is receiving care in isolation.

The infection was initially associated with malaria-like symptoms, according to reports surrounding the case. Her failure to improve and her travel history prompted further investigations, leading to laboratory confirmation.

The circumstances have placed renewed emphasis on the importance of early diagnosis, accurate travel histories and heightened vigilance among healthcare workers, particularly when patients present with symptoms that may resemble more common illnesses.

Keyamo has also directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to strengthen surveillance and response measures at international airports.

The measures include enhanced health screening, temperature checks, travel history monitoring, digital health declarations and closer coordination with the NCDC.

These precautions are intended to help authorities identify potential risks and respond promptly to suspected cases. The 21-day monitoring period corresponds to the recognised incubation window for Ebola, which ranges from two to 21 days.

Health officials have stressed the importance of identifying people who may have been exposed to the virus and monitoring them throughout the relevant period.

The restriction on air travel is a precautionary measure directed at identified contacts, rather than evidence that all 46 individuals have contracted Ebola.

The WHO has said it is supporting Nigerian authorities with case investigations, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, and essential supplies, including personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. Investigations are also continuing to establish the likely source of infection and reconstruct the patient’s travel and exposure history.

The case has emerged against the backdrop of a wider Bundibugyo virus outbreak in Central and East Africa. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been at the centre of the outbreak, while imported infections have prompted responses in other countries, including Kenya.

Nigeria’s confirmation marks a further geographical expansion of the outbreak into West Africa.

Although the patient had recently travelled from Uganda, the precise source of infection has not been established publicly.

Health authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding her journey and possible exposure, making it important to distinguish confirmed travel history from conclusions about where transmission occurred.

Nigeria has previous experience in containing Ebola. In 2014, the country successfully interrupted transmission after an infected traveller introduced the virus into Lagos.

The response relied on rapid identification of cases, isolation, contact tracing and coordinated action by health authorities. That experience remains an important reference point as officials seek to contain the current case.

However, the effectiveness of the present response will depend on the speed and completeness of contact tracing, consistent monitoring, strong infection prevention practices and cooperation from people who may have been exposed.

The Bundibugyo strain also presents specific medical challenges. According to the WHO, there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved specific treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease, making early supportive medical care and rigorous infection control particularly important.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person who is experiencing symptoms, or with contaminated materials.

It is not generally transmitted through casual contact alone. Public health guidance therefore emphasises avoiding contact with potentially infectious bodily fluids, following medical advice and reporting relevant symptoms or exposure to health authorities.

For now, Nigeria’s immediate priorities remain the monitoring of identified contacts, strengthening safeguards at the hospital where the patient received treatment and maintaining heightened surveillance at airports and other points of entry.

The restriction affecting the 46 contacts is intended to reduce the possibility of further transmission while the monitoring period runs its course.

Authorities will need to provide clear, timely updates as investigations progress, particularly on the number of people being monitored, the outcome of follow-up assessments and whether additional contacts are identified.

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With the response now under way, the central challenge is to contain the infection through swift, evidence-based public health action while keeping the public informed without encouraging unnecessary alarm or stigmatisation.