₦10bn health fund covers Lassa, cholera and more, not just Ebola, says NCDC
PauseandPonderTV · Tue, 3 Nov 2026The agency says it asked for the money before Nigeria's imported Ebola case, and there is no active case now.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says the ₦10 billion emergency fund approved by President Bola Tinubu is meant for a range of disease threats, not only Ebola.
In a statement on Monday, NCDC Director-General Dr Jide Idris said the money, approved in June, covers outbreaks of Lassa fever, cholera, Ebola, meningitis, diphtheria, measles and mpox. The money is for spotting outbreaks early, getting ready for them, responding fast when they happen and helping communities bounce back afterwards.
He said the request was made before Nigeria recorded its imported Ebola case, and that the funds were paid to the NCDC, not to the presidential task force on Ebola.
The clarification follows public debate about how the money is being used. Idris said the country confirmed one imported case of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola on 20 October, but there is currently no active case. People who had contact with the patient are being monitored for 21 days.
Health officials are also investigating two suspected cases in the North-East, which have not been confirmed.
Source: this report is based on reporting by Tribune and Leadership.