The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says the ₦10 billion emergency health security fund released by the Federal Government is designed to strengthen the country’s preparedness against multiple disease outbreaks, not Ebola alone.

The agency explained that the intervention would also cover public health threats such as Lassa fever, cholera, measles, diphtheria, mpox, cerebrospinal meningitis and antimicrobial resistance.

NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, made the clarification amid public concerns over the allocation, stressing that the money was released directly to the agency and not to the Presidential Task Force on Ebola.

Idris said the fund would strengthen disease prevention, preparedness, early detection, rapid response and recovery across the country.

He explained that the intervention would support disease surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, screening and monitoring at points of entry, provision of personal protective equipment, laboratory supplies and repairs to isolation centres.

Despite the allocation, the NCDC director-general noted that the ₦10 billion was insufficient to meet the country’s broader health security needs.

He disclosed that Nigeria’s National Action Plan for Health Security 2025–2029 requires an estimated ₦522 billion over five years, representing about ₦104.4 billion annually.

The agency stressed that sustained investment in epidemic prevention and preparedness remains critical, noting that preventing disease outbreaks is less costly than managing full-blown epidemics.

The clarification comes as Nigeria continues to monitor suspected Ebola cases and strengthen preparations ahead of the Lassa fever season.