The Federal Government has directed agencies under the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to urgently scale up public education on Ebola Virus Disease, days after Nigeria confirmed its first case in Abuja. 

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, gave the order, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Rabiu Ibrahim. The agencies affected are the National Orientation Agency, the Nigerian Television Authority, the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, the Voice of Nigeria and the News Agency of Nigeria.

Idris said the government is taking every necessary step to contain the case and protect Nigerians, stressing that accurate and timely information is one of the country’s strongest defences. He instructed the agencies to reach every community, in every language, with clear facts on how the virus spreads, how people can protect themselves and where to report suspected cases.

The messaging, he said, should be in simple language and give practical guidance on what to do when a suspected case is identified.

The minister also directed the agencies to work closely with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention so that all public information is verified and evidence-based. The National Orientation Agency was told to deploy its offices nationwide for grassroots sensitisation, working with traditional and religious leaders, community groups and the media.

Idris added that the ministry will also strengthen engagement with broadcast organisations, including the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, to widen the reach of prevention messages.

The directive follows the NCDC’s confirmation of the case in a woman who recently travelled to Abuja from Uganda. She is in isolation and receiving treatment, while health authorities have identified her contacts and are monitoring them. The Federal Government has said the case is being contained and urged Nigerians not to fall into panic or hysteria. Idris asked the public to remain calm, rely only on official sources and avoid spreading unverified claims on social media, which he warned could fuel fear.

Members of the public who suspect a case should call the NCDC’s toll-free 24-hour emergency line, 6232.

Other precautions are also under way. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has begun installing temperature-screening cameras at airports to detect passengers with elevated body temperatures, while states such as Ekiti have stepped up laboratory training, surveillance and the stockpiling of protective equipment.