The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to urgently provide adequate financial support to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to enhance the country’s readiness against a potential Ebola outbreak.
The call followed the adoption of a motion presented by Amobi Ogah, who expressed concern over the Ebola outbreak in the Turi Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to him, the outbreak, involving a rare strain of the virus, was reported by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on May 15th 2026.
Ogah noted that Nigeria remains vulnerable to the disease because of its busy borders and significant movement of people across countries within the region.
He recalled that the NCDC had already classified Nigeria as facing a high risk of Ebola importation and had activated emergency preparedness measures, including placing the National Emergency Operations Centre on alert.
The lawmaker, however, warned that the agency’s ability to respond effectively has been hampered by inadequate funding. He stated that the NCDC received no operational funding in 2025 and has yet to receive capital releases from its approved 2026 budget.
He said that overhead allocations have been inconsistent and insufficient
According to Ogah, the funding shortfall has affected critical public health functions such as disease surveillance, laboratory operations, outbreak response, logistics management and emergency preparedness activities. He stressed that the agency’s current level of preparedness is under threat if the financial challenges persist.
He further highlighted several operational difficulties facing the NCDC, including unpaid obligations to service providers, stalled construction of laboratories and treatment facilities, shortages of laboratory supplies and reagents, weak biosecurity infrastructure, limited intensive care resources, and inadequate support for the training and deployment of rapid response teams.
Warning of the consequences of continued underfunding, Ogah said Nigeria’s capacity to tackle Ebola and other infectious disease outbreaks could be significantly weakened if urgent intervention is not provided.
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Supporting the motion, Billy Osawaru commended the initiative and reflected on Nigeria’s successful management of the 2014 Ebola outbreak, which began after an infected traveller arrived from Liberia.
He noted that through coordinated action involving health professionals, government agencies, and international partners, the country was able to limit the outbreak to 20 confirmed cases and eight fatalities.
Osawaru paid tribute to frontline medical workers, particularly the late Dr. Stella Adadevoh, whose efforts played a vital role in preventing a wider public health crisis.
Despite that success, he cautioned that Nigeria remains exposed to future outbreaks because of extensive land borders, international travel and trade activities, and growing regional mobility.
He also pointed out that the current outbreak has been linked to the Bombali virus strain, for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment currently exists.
Following deliberations, the House directed the Executive Arm of Government to immediately release funds allocated to the NCDC so the agency can clear outstanding obligations and effectively perform its responsibilities.
Lawmakers also tasked the House Committee on Infectious Diseases with overseeing the use of the funds and reporting its findings to the chamber.
In addition, the House called on border and port authorities to strengthen screening and surveillance measures at all entry points, while the Committee on Legislative Compliance was mandated to ensure the implementation of the resolutions.
The resolution comes as concerns continue to grow across Africa over emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, prompting renewed calls for stronger investment in health security, disease surveillance and emergency response systems.
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