The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered a 21-day no-fly restriction for 46 persons identified as contacts of an Ebola-affected patient following a reported case of the disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Keyamo announced the directive in a statement shared on his verified X account after a virtual meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, to discuss measures to contain the outbreak.

The minister said the list comprised 44 persons who came into contact with an affected female patient at a hospital after she developed symptoms of Ebola, as well as two members of her domestic staff.

According to him, the restriction is intended to prevent the identified contacts from travelling by air while health authorities work to establish whether they have contracted the virus.

“Whilst efforts are ongoing to isolate them for now until there is certainty they had not been infected with the virus, the Aviation authorities are required to put them on a no-fly list for at least 21 days,” Keyamo stated.

He explained that the restriction corresponds to the period within which symptoms of Ebola may emerge following exposure to the virus.

Keyamo said he had directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to immediately notify all domestic and international airlines of the directive to ensure that the affected individuals are prevented from boarding flights during the restriction period.

He also instructed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to strengthen surveillance and emergency response measures at all international airports nationwide.

The minister said the measures include enhanced health screening, temperature checks, travel history monitoring and digital health declarations, alongside improved coordination among relevant agencies.

He added that FAAN was already implementing these measures in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), following regional outbreak alerts.

The directive forms part of broader efforts by the Federal Government to strengthen disease surveillance and limit the potential spread of Ebola through air travel.

However, Keyamo’s statement did not disclose the identity of the affected patient, the hospital where the reported contacts occurred or whether the infection was acquired in Nigeria.

The minister also did not report any confirmed Ebola infection among the 46 identified contacts, indicating that the restriction is precautionary as authorities work to determine their health status.