The House of Representatives has been urged to prevail on the Federal Government to immediately provide adequate funding to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to strengthen the country’s preparedness and response capacity against Ebola and other epidemic-prone diseases.
The call was made through a Motion of Urgent National Importance sponsored by Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah, who warned that Nigeria faces a heightened risk of Ebola importation following the recent outbreak of the disease in the Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to the lawmaker, the outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, poses a significant threat to Nigeria due to the country’s porous borders and limited cross-border surveillance mechanisms. He noted that the strain currently has no licensed vaccine or targeted treatment, making preparedness efforts even more critical.
Hon. Ogah further recalled that on May 25, 2026, the NCDC placed Nigeria at a high risk of Ebola importation and activated emergency preparedness measures nationwide. However, he expressed concern that the agency’s capacity to respond effectively has been severely weakened by prolonged funding shortages.
The motion highlighted that the NCDC reportedly received no operational funding in 2025, while capital releases for its 2026 budget allocation have yet to be made. The situation, according to the sponsor, has left the agency struggling to meet critical public health obligations amid dwindling donor support.
Among the challenges identified are unpaid contractors and service providers, stalled laboratory and treatment centre projects, shortages of laboratory reagents and diagnostic materials, inadequate biosafety infrastructure, limited intensive care and oxygen support systems, and insufficient resources for training rapid response teams across the country.
The lawmaker warned that the continued funding gap could undermine Nigeria’s outbreak response operations, disease surveillance systems, laboratory services, logistics coordination, and overall emergency preparedness, leaving the country vulnerable to the resurgence of Ebola and other infectious diseases.
As part of the motion’s prayers, the House was urged to call on the Executive Arm of Government to release adequate funds to the NCDC in line with appropriated budgets, while mandating the House Committee on Infectious Diseases to monitor the utilization of such funds. The motion also called on Port Health Authorities to intensify cross-border surveillance and directed the House Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure implementation of the resolutions.
Hon. Ogah stressed that protecting Nigeria from epidemic outbreaks requires immediate and sustained investment in public health infrastructure, warning that any delay in funding the NCDC could have grave consequences for national health security.
