Tinubu Approves N45bn Biosecurity Shield for Five Airports

By Okechukwu Eze, Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved N45.08 billion for the deployment of an integrated biosecurity and disease surveillance system at five international airports to boost Nigeria’s capacity to detect dangerous pathogens and prevent outbreaks.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this yesterday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by the President at the State House, Abuja.

Pate said the system would be installed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; Port Harcourt International Airport; and Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

According to him, the project will be executed through a 20-year public-private partnership (PPP) with the Bio Health Consortium.

The cutting-edge system will deploy aircraft wastewater surveillance, air and surface sampling, and advanced pathogen detection technologies to identify potential infectious disease threats at the point of entry.

“The initiative will enable authorities to monitor a broad range of dangerous pathogens, improve coordination among relevant agencies and strengthen health security at Nigeria’s borders,” Pate said.

He explained that the investment will provide early warning and rapid response capabilities before emerging infections spread into communities.

The approval comes amid heightened vigilance following an Ebola case recorded in October linked to travel from Uganda, where an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease was reported.

Pate confirmed that the Ebola index patient recorded in October has recovered and was evacuated, while contact tracing of 54 primary contacts, including an Uber driver, is ongoing to prevent community transmission.

The five airports were already designated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) as priority points for screening, health declarations and Port Health Services operations.

The N45 billion biosecurity shield is different from the N10 billion emergency fund earlier approved by President Tinubu in June for Ebola and Lassa fever preparedness.

NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, had clarified that the N10 billion covers surveillance, diagnosis, screening at points of entry, personal protective equipment, laboratory supplies and rehabilitation of isolation centres nationwide.

President Tinubu had also constituted a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats chaired by Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, with FAAN, NCAA, NIS, NCDC and Lagos State Government as members to intensify passenger screening, temperature checks and monitoring of high-risk routes.