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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has warned that Nigeria faces a high risk of importing the Ebola virus disease (EVD) due to ongoing outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

Despite the absence of any confirmed case in the country, the agency said heightened regional transmission, increased international travel, and cross-border population movement have raised concerns over the possibility of the disease spreading into Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Director-General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, said the agency’s latest risk assessment classified the threat level as high.

“This assessment estimated the risk of Ebola importation into Nigeria as high due to the ongoing transmission in the DRC and Uganda, international travel and population movement, uncertainty regarding the full magnitude of the outbreak, and the potential for delayed recognition because symptoms may overlap with endemic diseases such as malaria and Lassa fever,” the statement read.

The agency disclosed that several states have already been identified as vulnerable because of their proximity to land borders, major transport corridors, and international entry points.

According to the NCDC, response efforts are currently ongoing in the affected countries, including surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control measures, as well as public sensitisation campaigns.

“However, we are aware of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and recent reports of a confirmed imported case in Uganda linked to the outbreak in DRC,” the agency stated.

As part of preparedness measures, the NCDC said Nigeria’s national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been placed on alert mode, while the incident management system has also been activated to strengthen national coordination and outbreak response capacity.

The agency added that Nigeria still retains critical structures and expertise developed from previous responses to Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic diseases.

“It also must be noted that Nigeria maintains important response capacities, including laboratory capability, trained rapid response teams, functional emergency operations centres (EOCs), established Viral haemorrhagic fever preparedness structures, and prior experience in successfully responding to Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks,” the statement added.
“Epidemiologists and rapid response teams (RRTs) are also on alert for rapid deployment to any affected state, if required.”

The NCDC further said laboratories located in states with international points of entry have been placed on standby, while sample collection and transportation systems are being strengthened to support quick diagnosis of suspected infections.

The agency also said it has intensified public communication campaigns to combat misinformation and false claims surrounding Ebola.
“NCDC is strengthening public awareness and risk communication activities, intensifying social listening and rumour management systems, and working with media organizations, healthcare professionals, community leaders, and digital platforms to amplify credible information and promote responsible public discourse,” the statement said.
“NCDC has also developed and disseminated Ebola Myths and Facts materials to address misinformation and false claims circulating online.”

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The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, May 27 and Thursday, May 28, 2026, as public holidays to mark Eid-el-Kabir.

Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo announced the holidays on Monday in a statement signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Magdalene Ajani.

Tunji-Ojo congratulated Muslims in Nigeria and abroad, calling Eid-ul-Adha a festival of sacrifice, obedience to God, and compassion. He urged Nigerians to use the period for prayer and reflection on peace, security, and national prosperity.

“The Federal Government urges all Nigerians to use this period for prayer and sober reflection, asking for divine see guidance as it continues its pursuit of peace, security, and prosperity for every citizen,” the statement read.

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World oil prices tumbled on renewed optimism about an agreement, after top US diplomat Marco Rubio suggested a deal could be reached within the day.

Iran warned Monday that, while some progress had been made, it was not yet close to striking a deal with the United States to end the Middle East war, after a weekend of mixed messages from Washington and Tehran.

World oil prices tumbled on renewed optimism about an agreement, after top US diplomat Marco Rubio suggested a deal could be reached within the day — but Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman responded: “No one can make such a claim.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — whose government is spearheading efforts to mediate a negotiated agreement between the United States and Iran — met China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
US and Iranian forces have observed a ceasefire since April 8 while diplomats push for a negotiated settlement, although Iran has maintained controls on Gulf shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the US Navy has sought to blockade Iran’s ports.

“We thought we might have some news last night, maybe today,” US Secretary of State Rubio told reporters during a visit to New Delhi, referring to hopes for a deal.

“We have what I think is a pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the straits, get the straits open,” he said.
“We’re either going to have a good agreement or we’re going to have to deal with it another way. We’d prefer to have a good agreement,” he said.
But in Tehran, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei poured cold water on hopes for a quick final settlement.

‘Certain fees’

“It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion,” he told a weekly news briefing.
“But to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent — no one can make such a claim.”

Baqaei stressed that Iran would continue to manage maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz by charging service fees — arguing that this did not amount to Tehran “seeking to collect tolls”.

“The services that are provided — navigational services in addition to the measures necessary to protect the environment of the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman — require the collection of certain fees,” he said.

Earlier, President Donald Trump had said that he had told his negotiators “not to rush into a deal, in that time is on our side”, and warned that the US naval blockade would remain in place until a deal was reached.
A post on Trump’s Truth Social read: “If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and proper one,” adding that: “It isn’t even fully negotiated yet.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he and Trump had agreed that “any final agreement with Iran must eliminate the nuclear threat entirely.”

‘Lasting peace’

Iranian officials have stressed that, despite the long-standing US demand for an end to its uranium enrichment, talks on the issue of Iran’s contested nuclear programme have been deferred until after an initial agreement.
The war, which erupted after the United States and Israel attacked the Islamic republic on February 28 and saw Iran respond with missile and drone attacks across the region, drove energy prices higher.
Crude oil remains expensive by recent standards, but prices have see-sawed and Monday’s mood of relative optimism caused prices to plunge by almost five percent.
The price of North Sea Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate slipped to $99.00 and $92.10 a barrel respectively.
On Saturday, leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain, as well as representatives from Turkey and Pakistan, joined a call with Trump to discuss the deal.
The focus of international efforts moved to Beijing on Monday, where Pakistan’s Sharif and army chief Asim Munir, who visited Tehran on Saturday, met senior leaders including Xi and Premier Li Qiang.
Speaking to Chinese leaders, Sharif said “the world is passing through a critical moment”, Pakistan’s state-run PTV channel showed.
“Things are moving in the right direction. I would like to thank China’s support to promote peace.”

AFP