The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has confirmed that the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit will hold on October 26 and 27 in Abuja despite the confirmation of an imported Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with organisers introducing additional health precautions to protect participants.
The two-day summit scheduled to take place at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja will adopt a modified hybrid format following consultations with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The decision comes after health authorities confirmed an imported case of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the FCT on October 20.
According to the NESG the patient has been isolated while health authorities are monitoring contacts. The group said its decision to proceed followed an assessment of the situation against the NCDC’s public health guidelines for mass gatherings.
The NESG said the confirmation of an imported case alone did not require the cancellation of the summit adding that precautionary measures would be implemented to protect delegates workers and other participants.
The Chief Executive Officer of the NESG Dr Tayo Aduloju said the organisation had made the safety of participants its main consideration in deciding to proceed with the event.
‘The safety of every delegate partner and member of staff comes first’ Aduloju said.
He explained that the decision was reached in consultation with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare NCDC Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) FCT health authorities and Transcorp Hilton.
Aduloju said the arrangements would allow the summit to go ahead while participants followed the guidance of health authorities.
He also urged delegates and other participants to comply with the preventive measures put in place for the event.
Under the revised arrangements physical attendance will be restricted to delegates who have already registered. The NESG said registration for physical participation had closed and that no walk-in admission or registration would be allowed at the venue.
All plenary sessions will be streamed live on the summit’s virtual platform allowing registered delegates to participate online if they decide against attending physically.
The organisers have also made daily health declarations and temperature checks compulsory for everyone entering the venue including delegates staff vendors and media personnel.
Participants who have a fever or other symptoms as well as those who have been in contact with a known or suspected Ebola case within the preceding 21 days have been advised not to attend physically. They are expected to participate online instead.
The NESG said delegates would receive a health and safety information pack by email to guide them on the arrangements and precautions for the summit.
It also provided the NCDC’s toll-free number 6232 for people seeking information or assistance on health concerns.
The organisation explained that Ebola does not spread through the air or through people who have no symptoms. According to the statement transmission occurs through direct contact with the body fluids of a person who is ill with the disease.
The NESG said it would continue to review the situation daily with health authorities and promptly communicate any changes through its official channels.
Despite the revised attendance arrangements the summit is expected to attract senior government officials state governors business leaders and speakers from Nigeria and abroad.
Among the speakers listed by the organisers are the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Dr Amina Mohammed; Prof Stefan Derco of Oxford University; and the Chairman of BUA Group Alhaji Samad Rabiu.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate is also expected to attend the opening ceremony.
Zamfara intensifies ebola surveillance
Meanwhile the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Zamfara Chapter said it was collaborating with major stakeholders to intensify surveillance and preventive measures against Ebola Virus Disease in the state.
The State Chairman Dr Muhammad Murtala stated this at a press briefing in Gusau on Friday to mark the 2026 Physicians’ Week.
The theme for this year’s Physicians’ Week is ‘Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria.’
Murtala who is the Incident Manager Polio Emergency Operations Centre in the state said the NMA in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health and partners had developed an incident action plan to create public awareness about Ebola.
He said the Ministry of Health had already met with critical medical stakeholders and public health experts to ensure active surveillance for the disease.
‘Therefore we are fully engaged and prepared to manage the situation in case of any Ebola case to ensure it is carefully managed and to prevent further spread’ he said.
Ondo deploys four ambulances
The Ondo State Government said it had intensified measures to prevent the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in the state by deploying four ambulances for the emergency transportation of any suspected cases and placing health personnel on alert.
The Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Health Prof. Simidele Odimayo disclosed this in an interview in Akure the state capital.
Odimayo said the state had also begun training health workers strengthening disease surveillance and intensifying public awareness campaigns to ensure prompt detection and reporting of suspected cases.
‘The state is doing a lot. We have already set up a committee that is working. We have sent some of our team to Abuja for some training programmes.
‘We have just procured so ambulances in recent times about 15 of them. So all we need to do at this time is to dedicate some about four in line with the national guidelines for movement of cases in case we have cases’ he said.
According to him health facilities and health posts across the state had been alerted to remain vigilant recognise Ebola symptoms and report suspected cases promptly through established channels.
He said the government was also making arrangements for isolation personal protective equipment and other emergency logistics to protect health workers and limit the risk of transmission.
Bayelsa activates emergency preparedness
Similarly the Bayelsa State Government has intensified disease surveillance and activated emergency preparedness measures following the confirmation of an imported case of Ebola Virus Disease in the country.
It assured residents that no case had been reported in the state.
The Commissioner for Health Prof. Seiyefa F. Brisibe disclosed this at the weekend during a press conference in Yenagoa where he outlined measures being taken to strengthen the state’s capacity to detect and respond to any suspected Ebola infection.
Brisibe said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) confirmed the imported case on October 20 2026 adding that the patient was receiving medical care while contact tracing and other containment measures were underway.
He stressed that although no confirmed case had been recorded in Bayelsa as of October 23 the state government was taking proactive steps to minimise the risk of the disease entering and spreading within its territory.
According to him the measures include strengthening the State Emergency Operations Centre intensifying disease surveillance across the eight local government areas and reviewing isolation and case-management arrangements.
Nasarawa hospital activates response team
The Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTH) Lafia has also intensified preparedness measures against a potential outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Nasarawa State.
Dr Anazodo Michael of the hospital’s Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine disclosed this to newsmen in Lafia.
He said the department in collaboration with other relevant departments had activated its Rapid Response Team (RRT) to strengthen the hospital’s preparedness and response capacity.
‘For now we are focusing on preventive measures coordinated response strategies and institutional readiness’ he said.