Nigeria May Be Ebola-Free In December — Minister

Nigeria could be declared free of the current Ebola outbreak as early as December 7, 2026, if no further confirmed or probable cases are detected, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has said.

Pate announced the provisional timeline on Monday, October 26, following the medical evacuation of Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola patient and her husband to Switzerland.

The minister explained that the declaration would depend on the successful completion of a 42-day monitoring period under World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the WHO must validate the countdown before the outbreak can officially be declared over.

In a statement shared on his official X account, Pate said the government’s immediate priorities remained the active monitoring of identified contacts, prompt investigation of suspected cases and strengthening of preparedness across health facilities.

He warned that any additional confirmed or probable case would require a fresh countdown, potentially delaying the proposed date.

“Our teams, working with FCTA and state health authorities and our partners, remain focused on containment and preventing community transmission,” the minister said, urging Nigerians to cooperate with contact-tracing teams and follow verified updates from health authorities.

Nigeria confirmed its first imported case of Ebola virus disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus on October 20, 2026. The patient was a 42-year-old Swiss woman who had travelled to Nigeria after visiting Uganda.

She received treatment under isolation in Abuja before being medically evacuated to Switzerland on October 26 after her condition improved. The WHO subsequently confirmed that Nigeria had no active Ebola cases following her departure.

However, the absence of active cases does not mean the outbreak has officially ended. Public health authorities must continue monitoring people who may have been exposed to the patient and investigate any new alerts.

According to the NCDC’s October 24 situation report, 53 contacts had been identified and followed up. Nigerian authorities will continue monitoring contacts within the country, while Swiss health officials will oversee follow-up for the patient’s husband.

The government has urged residents to remain calm, report suspected symptoms and cooperate with public health officials. Authorities are also maintaining surveillance and strengthening infection prevention measures to detect any potential transmission quickly.

The December 7 date remains provisional. Nigeria’s formal declaration that the outbreak is over will depend on whether the required monitoring period is completed without further confirmed or probable cases and the relevant public health authorities validate the conditions.