The Nigeria Immigration Service has strengthened Ebola border security by assuring Nigerians that the country’s borders remain secure against the Ebola outbreak spreading across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, while officers actively monitor all border crossings and use digital surveillance systems to track routes beyond physical checkpoints.
NIS spokesperson, Akinsola Akinlabi, gave the assurance on Friday during an interview as concerns grew over Nigeria’s vulnerability to the Ebola outbreak.
The Nigeria Immigration Service has strengthened Ebola border security by ensuring that immigration officers identify everyone entering Nigeria through official land borders and require travellers to present valid documents, including international health certificates.
“Our borders are not porous. Anyone who enters through our borders is known. They must present proper documents, including an international health certificate,” he said.
Nigeria shares more than 4,000 kilometres of land borders with Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon, where informal crossing routes have raised concerns in recent years.
However, Akinlabi said the Immigration Service deployed officers and technology across all border points to strengthen surveillance in remote areas.
“For us, a porous border is one that no one mans. We man all our borders. The issue is not border porosity, but the vast size of the borders and the measures the government has taken to address those challenges,” he explained.
He added that the government introduced the Integrated Border Management System and the Migration Information and Data Analysis System to improve border monitoring and security operations.
According to him, the government invested in technology alongside personnel deployment to close surveillance gaps and improve border control efficiency.
Akinlabi also recalled Nigeria’s response during previous disease outbreaks, noting that health officials worked at airports to enforce health protocols during pandemics.
He said the Immigration Service would continue to follow directives from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Ministry of Health regarding the current Ebola outbreak.
The World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17, 2026, after the Bundibugyo strain killed nearly 90 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and spread to Uganda.
The outbreak reportedly reached Kinshasa and Kampala, where authorities confirmed cases, including fatalities.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that Nigeria has not recorded any Ebola case linked to the current regional outbreak.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria also announced that authorities intensified screening and health safety measures at international airports, especially for passengers arriving from high-risk regions.
