The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has defended its decision to provide ₦100,000 in weekly financial support to individuals placed in quarantine following Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola case, explaining that the intervention was introduced on compassionate grounds.
The Director-General of the agency, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday night, October 26, 2026.
According to Idris, the financial assistance was not included in the agency’s original budget but became necessary after some individuals placed in quarantine raised concerns about the financial and personal difficulties caused by their confinement. <Cite refs={[“turn649076news2″,”turn649076search0”]}/>
Why NCDC Introduced the Weekly Payment
Idris explained that the individuals were taken away from their normal routines and placed in quarantine as part of measures to prevent the possible spread of the Ebola virus.
He said the government had a responsibility to provide for their basic needs, including accommodation and feeding, while they remained under public health monitoring.
The NCDC chief noted that some of those affected had families to support and businesses to manage, making their temporary confinement financially challenging.
He explained that the complaints prompted the agency to introduce the additional financial support to ease their difficulties and encourage them to comply with quarantine requirements.
According to him, some individuals had even threatened to leave the quarantine facility because of the challenges they were experiencing.
Idris warned that allowing people whose infection status had not been fully established to leave quarantine could create a public health risk.
He maintained that the weekly payment was therefore a practical intervention intended to address their concerns and support efforts to contain the outbreak. <Cite refs={[“turn649076news2″,”turn649076search1”]}/>
NCDC Says Support Will Be Reviewed
The NCDC director-general described the payment as an emergency measure that would be reviewed as the situation developed.
He also emphasised that state governments have important responsibilities in providing the facilities, funding and resources needed to manage contacts during public health emergencies.
The agency’s response includes identifying and monitoring individuals who may have been exposed to the confirmed patient, with follow-up conducted for 21 days after their last possible exposure. <Cite refs={[“turn649076search1″,”turn649076search10”]}/>
Nigeria’s Ebola Response
Nigeria confirmed a case of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Federal Capital Territory on October 20, 2026.
In its October 25 update, the NCDC reported that 53 contacts linked to the confirmed case had been identified for monitoring. The agency stressed that being identified as a contact does not mean that a person has contracted the virus. <Cite refs={[“turn649076search10″,”turn649076search17”]}/>
The health agency has urged Nigerians to cooperate with public health officials, provide accurate information during contact tracing and avoid spreading unverified claims about the outbreak.
The NCDC says its immediate priorities remain preventing further transmission, protecting healthcare workers, monitoring exposed individuals and ensuring that suspected infections are identified promptly.
The agency’s defence of the ₦100,000 weekly support highlights the practical challenges of managing quarantine measures while addressing the financial and welfare concerns of those affected.
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