Ebola: FG announces N45bn biosecurity project for Lagos, Abuja, three other airports

The Federal Government has approved N45.08 billion for a biosecurity and disease surveillance system across five international airports amid concerns over Ebola and other infectious diseases.

According to Leadership, Health Minister Ali Pate announced the approval on Wednesday following the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Pate said the project would operate under a 20-year public-private partnership involving BioHealth Consortium.

The airports include Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu.

The system will feature pathogen detection equipment, wastewater surveillance, laboratory facilities and a national surveillance operations centre.

“This is not Ebola. It is all pathogens of huge public health threats,” Pate explained.

He said the initiative would strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to detect and respond to infectious diseases entering through international borders.

The minister also confirmed that Nigeria’s recent Ebola patient had recovered, while contact tracing and quarantine measures continued.

“Our goal is to contain it. We don’t want to be in a situation whereby we have community transmission,” he said.