Lagos health authorities are considering new measures at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) to reduce contact between passengers arriving from Ebola-affected countries and other travellers as they step up efforts to keep the virus out of Nigeria.
Lagos Reviews Airport Ebola Preparedness
The proposal emerged during a high-level inspection and preparedness exercise at MMIA on Sunday. Health officials, aviation regulators, and airport authorities reviewed surveillance systems, emergency response plans, and passenger screening procedures.
Meanwhile, the Lagos delegation was led by Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi. Other officials included Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Dayo Lajide; Director of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health, Dr Ismail Abdus-Salam; and senior officials from the Lagos State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre.
Furthermore, Airport Manager and Regional General Manager, South-West MMIA, Olatokunbo Arewa, received the team alongside representatives of Port Health Services, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and other airport agencies.
Ebola Outbreak Triggers Fresh Vigilance
The discussions come as health authorities across Africa increase surveillance following Ebola outbreaks in parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
Consequently, Lagos has begun reassessing its frontline defence systems at Nigeria’s busiest international airport.
Furthermore, public health experts fear that rising international travel could increase the risk of cross-border disease transmission if authorities fail to strengthen surveillance systems.
Addressing airport officials, Abayomi said Lagos aims to protect public health without disrupting airport operations.
“Our objective is to create a bottleneck for the virus, not for passengers,” he said.
Plans to Limit Passenger Contact
However, Abayomi said the state is examining practical ways to reduce unnecessary interaction between travellers arriving from affected countries and other passengers within the airport.
He explained that authorities would maintain efficient airport operations while strengthening disease detection and response measures.
Furthermore, he reminded officials that Lagos served as the entry point for Nigeria’s 2014 Ebola outbreak.
According to him, an infected traveller from Liberia brought the virus into the country before health authorities contained it through surveillance, contact tracing, and the efforts of frontline health workers.
He also paid tribute to the late Dr Ameyo Adadevoh, whose intervention helped stop wider community transmission.
“The experience taught us that vigilance can never be relaxed in a globally connected world,” Abayomi said.
MMIA Remains Nigeria’s Key Entry Point
Meanwhile, Abayomi described MMIA as Nigeria’s most important international gateway. He said the airport handles about 70 per cent of inbound international passenger traffic.
Consequently, he identified rapid case detection, immediate isolation, safe evacuation procedures, and stronger digital monitoring of travellers from affected countries as key pillars of the state’s preparedness strategy.
Furthermore, Ogunyemi stressed that effective disease control requires collaboration among federal and state agencies, airport operators, and frontline workers.
“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.
She also conveyed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s support to airport personnel and said health security deserves the same attention as conventional security threats.
Agencies Strengthen Surveillance Measures
In response, Lajide urged airport workers to protect themselves while carrying out screening and disease-control duties. She also commended airport agencies for their cooperation and encouraged strict compliance with infection prevention measures.
Furthermore, Port Health Services officials disclosed that the Airport Public Health Emergency Management Team has already been activated. They also confirmed that authorities have completed risk assessments to identify countries requiring enhanced surveillance.
According to Abdullahi, passenger screening procedures were already in place before the activation of the national health declaration platform. He added that officials routinely share passenger information with Lagos disease surveillance teams.
Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing to improve access to passenger data to strengthen contact tracing and monitoring when necessary.
Airlines Ordered to Follow Health Protocols
Furthermore, NCAA Aeromedical Assessor, Dr Abayomi Asunbo, said airlines operating international routes must comply strictly with public health protocols before authorities clear passengers for entry into Nigeria.
FAAN General Manager for Aviation Medical Services, Bilkis Ibrahim, said the agency has deployed additional protective equipment, multilingual health advisories, awareness materials, and training programmes across airports.
Similarly, MMIA Head of Medical Services, Dr Uche Ofoegbu, said stakeholders have intensified awareness campaigns to ensure workers understand surveillance procedures, infection control measures, isolation protocols, and emergency response systems.
The inspection ended with a tour of screening facilities and other critical airport infrastructure. Officials reaffirmed their commitment to preparedness, information sharing, and rapid response mechanisms.
WHO Reports Rising Ebola Cases
Although the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that Nigeria has not recorded any Ebola case, authorities insist that continuous vigilance remains necessary.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said the Ebola outbreak linked to Bundibugyo virus disease continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
As of May 27, WHO reported 906 suspected cases and 223 deaths among suspected cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Furthermore, by May 29, authorities had recorded 134 confirmed cases, including nine in Uganda, and 18 confirmed deaths across both countries.
The WHO also confirmed that a healthcare worker from the United States who treated Ebola patients in the Democratic Republic of the Congo tested positive and is receiving treatment in Germany.
