The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said Nigeria must complete a 42-day monitoring period before it can be declared free of Ebola, following the confirmation of a case in the country.

The Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said the 53 identified contacts of the infected patient must be monitored for 21 days, followed by a further 21-day period without new cases, in line with established protocols.

His clarification came after the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, announced on Monday that Nigeria currently had no active Ebola cases following the medical evacuation of the infected patient and her husband to Switzerland.

Janabi said the patient was clinically stable after receiving treatment from Nigerian medical personnel, adding that Swiss authorities would take responsibility for her continued management and the monitoring of her husband, who was identified as contact number 53.

“The Nigerian medical team successfully managed her through the acute phase of the illness and stabilised her condition,” he said.
He added that the evacuation meant Nigeria currently had no active Ebola cases, although surveillance and contact tracing would continue.

Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, Ihekweazu explained that the absence of active cases did not mean Nigeria had met the requirements for an official declaration that it was Ebola-free.

He said health authorities must continue monitoring all identified contacts for 21 days, followed by another 21-day period, to establish that no further transmission had occurred.

“What it means still is that we have about 53 people, contacts, individuals with whom that individual had contact over the days that she was ill. And now we have to continue to follow each of them for 21 days and then require another 21 days, coming up to 42, in order to declare Nigeria Ebola-free,” he said.

“These are the standard protocols as defined by the World Health Organisation, where I work, and which we use in every country around the world that has a similar incident.”

The WHO official also dismissed suggestions that the patient’s evacuation to Switzerland was prompted by inadequate medical facilities or expertise in Nigeria.

According to him, the decision was made at the request of the patient’s country of origin and did not reflect any shortcomings in Nigeria’s capacity to manage the disease. “This wasn’t a response to any deficit in the management capacities in Nigeria. This was at the request of the country of origin of the case,” he said.

Ihekweazu explained that Ebola, which belongs to a group of infections known as viral haemorrhagic fevers, required an immediate and coordinated response whenever a case was confirmed.

“For certain diseases, a group of diseases we call the viral haemorrhagic fevers, of which Ebola is one of them, we consider every single case an equivalent of an outbreak and requiring a coordinated response,” he said.

He added that the WHO had supported the Nigerian government in implementing the necessary measures to contain the disease and prevent further transmission.

Assessing Nigeria’s response, Ihekweazu commended the speed of laboratory confirmation and genetic sequencing, as well as the management of the infected patient.

He said the country had implemented the recommended response measures effectively, expressing confidence in the ongoing efforts to contain the situation.
“Nigeria’s going to be proud of the response so far,” he said.

On concerns about political rallies and other public gatherings amid the Ebola scare, Ihekweazu said the WHO had not recommended additional restrictions.

He stressed that the organisation’s advice was based on technical assessments rather than political considerations.
“We haven’t advised any restrictions on further gatherings. Our advice is never political. It’s always technical. And we will continue to support the government in this response,” he said.

The WHO official, however, emphasised that the immediate priority was to ensure that every identified contact was monitored daily to enable health authorities to detect and respond quickly to any new infection.

“The key thing now is for every single contact that the patient had to be followed up every single day, that is happening, and to ensure that there’s no further transmission, if there is transmission, to detect it early and respond appropriately,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to trust the government and relevant health agencies, warning against politicising the public health response.

Ihekweazu expressed confidence that, with continued surveillance and support from the WHO, Nigeria could contain the situation and prevent further transmission.

The final session of an international webinar series examining abandoned infrastructure, energy transitions and sustainable development will hold on Friday, October 30, 2026 with experts expected to explore how governments and private-sector operators can balance energy security, climate change and sustainability.

The webinar, titled The Politics of Power: Abandoned Infrastructure –Part Three: Balancing Responsibility with Opportunity, will be hosted by CIFAL Surrey in collaboration with the University of Surrey, United Kingdom.

Scheduled for 9 a.m. British Summer Time (10 a.m. Central Africa Time), the virtual event will examine lessons from European experiences in energy-sector regulation and deregulation, as well as the responsibilities of governments and industries in shaping the future of energy systems.

The session will conclude a three-part webinar series organised through the CIFAL Global Network, affiliated with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), with sessions hosted by CIFAL Newcastle in Australia, CIFAL Nigeria and CIFAL Surrey in the United Kingdom.

The discussions are designed to examine the political, economic, social and environmental consequences of energy transitions, particularly the challenges faced by communities and economies dependent on resource extraction.

Participants will also consider how governments, industries and local communities can turn the challenges associated with decommissioned energy infrastructure into opportunities for sustainable development.

The organisers have invited policymakers, academics, energy-sector professionals, development practitioners and other interested participants to join the online discussion.
Registration is available through the webinar’s official portal.

The first session, hosted by CIFAL Newcastle on August 28, 2026 focused on The Long Goodbye, examining what happens to communities, economies and livelihoods when resource-dependent industries wind down.

Drawing on experiences from Newcastle and the Hunter Valley in Australia, the discussion explored the long-term social, economic and environmental consequences of resource extraction, including the challenges of mine closures, land rehabilitation and finding new uses for former industrial sites.

The session brought together experts, including Stephen Barr of Barr Planning, Kylie Woodham of Magiers Farm and Associate Professors Liam Phelan and Hedda Askland of the University of Newcastle, Australia. Discussions highlighted the need for long-term planning to help communities adapt to economic changes as major resource operations decline or close.

The second session, hosted by CIFAL Nigeria on September 25, 2026 shifted attention to Nigeria, with particular emphasis on Ogoniland and the enduring consequences of oil extraction for communities, infrastructure and sustainable development.

The discussion examined the political, social and environmental dimensions of abandoned infrastructure, environmental restoration and the challenges of achieving a just energy transition in resource-rich communities.

Environmental experts which included Professor Augustine Ikein, Professor Kingsley Okpara of Rivers State University, Professor Onyeka Mbalisi of University of Port Harcourt and Dr. Eleraobari Nworgu Efe-Inotu of the Federal University of Environment and Technology, Rivers State also considered the roles of government, universities, development partners and local communities in promoting environmental justice, community participation, sustainable livelihoods and long-term restoration.

The Nigerian session was part of a broader effort to connect international experiences with local realities and identify practical approaches to managing the legacies of resource extraction.

The final session in Surrey,United Kingdom is expected to build on these discussions by examining how energy-sector policies and regulatory frameworks can support a balance between economic opportunities, reliable energy supplies and environmental responsibilities.

The broader debate is particularly relevant to Nigeria, one of Africa’s leading oil and gas producers, where dependence on hydrocarbons coexists with persistent infrastructure deficits, environmental degradation and the need to diversify the economy.

As countries pursue cleaner energy systems, the challenge remains how to protect livelihoods, sustain economic growth and address the environmental costs of existing energy infrastructure without leaving resource-dependent communities behind.
Interested participants can register for the final webinar through the official registration portal: Register for the webinar via https://uonewcastle.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TKxnQNiNRp-vTeo_OIZcBA#/registration

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has warned that the 2027 general election could be postponed if the ongoing Ebola outbreak spreads to a level that threatens public health.

The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television, noting that the decision to consider a shift in the electoral timetable would depend on the severity and geographical spread of the outbreak.

Idris, however, said there was currently no reason to contemplate postponing the election, expressing optimism that the disease would be contained before it could disrupt the country’s electoral process.
“We hope the election will not be postponed, but if the thing (Ebola) gets wide enough, that might be considered. As of now, there is no need for that,” he said.

His remarks have introduced public health concerns into preparations for the 2027 general election, which is expected to commence in January, as political parties and aspirants intensify activities ahead of the polls.

A widespread outbreak could raise concerns about mass gatherings, political rallies and other election-related activities that could increase the risk of transmission, potentially forcing authorities to consider extraordinary measures to protect public health.

The NCDC chief stressed that any decision to postpone the election would be driven strictly by the need to safeguard lives and contain the outbreak, rather than political considerations.

Responding to suggestions that the government could exploit the Ebola outbreak for political purposes, Idris dismissed the possibility, insisting that public health emergencies should not be used as political weapons.
“We in the health sector will not use disease issues as a political weapon. No government will use Ebola as a political weapon,” he said.

The NCDC director-general explained that Nigeria had been monitoring the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and had anticipated the possibility of the virus spreading to the country.

According to him, population movements, international air travel and activities at Nigeria’s ports of entry were among the factors that heightened concerns about the possible importation of the disease.

He said health authorities had closely tracked developments in the DRC for months and strengthened surveillance efforts in anticipation of potential cases in Nigeria.

Despite these precautions, he noted that the possibility of the virus entering the country could not be completely ruled out because of the volume of international travel and cross-border movements.

The NCDC is expected to continue monitoring the outbreak and coordinating surveillance and response measures to prevent further transmission.

For now, Idris maintained that there was no justification for postponing the 2027 general election, but warned that a significant expansion of the outbreak could force authorities to reconsider the electoral timetable in the interest of public safety.