The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has assured passengers and stakeholders of enhanced Ebola preparedness measures across the nation’s international airports following recent Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) concerns in parts of Central Africa.

FAAN said it had strengthened surveillance, passenger monitoring, and emergency response systems in collaboration with Port Health Services, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), and other relevant agencies.

In a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Henry Agbebire, the authority disclosed that passengers arriving from high-risk regions are currently undergoing intensified health screening procedures at airports nationwide.

According to the statement, passengers are being screened for symptoms associated with Ebola, while any suspected case would be immediately isolated and subjected to secondary health checks in line with national and international health protocols.

FAAN stated that additional preventive measures had also been activated to strengthen the country’s preparedness against any possible outbreak.

The authority noted that coordination among aviation, health, and emergency response stakeholders had been reinforced to ensure swift and effective action whenever necessary.

It further disclosed that airport personnel had undergone increased sensitisation programmes, while emergency response procedures had been strengthened across airport facilities to improve readiness and operational safety.

“While there is currently no confirmed case of Ebola in Nigeria, FAAN remains vigilant and fully committed to safeguarding public health and maintaining safe airport operations,” the statement said.

The agency urged passengers to remain calm, cooperate with health officials during screening procedures, and promptly report any symptoms or health concerns to relevant authorities.

FAAN reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining safe, secure, and healthy airport environments while supporting national public health protection measures.

The authority added that continuous monitoring and collaboration with health agencies would remain in place to ensure Nigeria’s airports sustain global health and safety standards.

The Federal Government’s plan to reposition the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) as an independent multimodal accident investigation agency received unanimous backing from top transportation, security, and emergency management agencies during a high-level stakeholder engagement convened in Abuja on Thursday.

The meeting, held at the Joint Intelligence Board Hall of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), brought together senior officials from the aviation, maritime, rail, road transport, finance, intelligence, and emergency response sectors to advance implementation of the new reporting structure approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in March 2026.

Under the new framework, the NSIB will now report directly to the Presidency through ONSA, ending its previous supervisory alignment with the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

The engagement was chaired by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, with the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, Hadiza Bala Usman, serving as co-chairperson.

Representatives at the meeting included officials from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Central Bank of Nigeria, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Federal Road Safety Corps, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nigerian Railway Corporation, National Inland Waterways Authority, Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Police Force, National Emergency Management Agency, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Armed Forces, Air Command, and other key agencies.

Stakeholders described the reform as a strategic move aimed at improving national coordination in transport accident investigations, emergency response management, infrastructure protection, and intelligence collaboration.

Director General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., said the transition marks a significant institutional shift that would strengthen transparency, operational independence, and inter-agency collaboration in accident investigations.

“Our responsibility remains preventive, not punitive. The Bureau determines probable causes of accidents, identifies systemic safety gaps, and issues recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences. We do not regulate, prosecute, or apportion blame,” Badeh said.

He explained that the new framework would improve occurrence notification timelines, evidence preservation, and coordinated responses in investigations involving multiple agencies or incidents with wider national security implications.

Badeh also noted that previous investigations conducted between late 2025 and early 2026 exposed operational difficulties, including delays in accessing critical data and jurisdictional overlaps among agencies.

Speaking at the engagement, Ribadu said the Presidency approved the reform to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks, preserve investigative neutrality, and establish a stronger national transportation safety structure.

According to him, the ONSA would provide institutional coordination and oversight support, especially in cases involving systemic failures or operational lapses linked to agencies under investigation.

He stressed that an independent reporting structure was necessary to maintain public trust, transparency, and professional credibility in accident investigations.

Ribadu further disclosed that the Federal Government had commenced steps to amend the NSIB Establishment Act 2022 to reflect the new governance arrangement, adding that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation would set up a technical drafting committee involving relevant stakeholders.

In her remarks, Hadiza Bala Usman said President Tinubu’s decision aligns Nigeria’s transportation safety architecture with globally recognised models such as the United States National Transportation Safety Board, Canada’s Transportation Safety Board, and France’s Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses.

The meeting also resolved to develop inter-agency standard operating procedures within 30 days, establish memoranda of understanding among agencies within 60 days, and begin legislative amendments required for full implementation of the framework.

Participants unanimously endorsed the reform and pledged deeper collaboration through structured inter-agency partnerships and coordinated response mechanisms aimed at strengthening transportation safety and public accountability in Nigeria.

Nigeria is intensifying efforts to redefine its aviation future through the ongoing transformation of Murtala Muhammed International Airport into a modern smart airport designed to meet global standards in safety, efficiency and passenger experience.

The large-scale remodelling of the country’s busiest international gateway represents the most extensive overhaul of the facility in nearly five decades and is expected to reposition Nigeria more competitively within Africa’s aviation sector.

The project includes the installation of biometric processing systems, electronic gates, advanced baggage handling technology, upgraded screening systems, expanded access roads and modern surveillance infrastructure.

According to FAAN Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, the transformation reflects a broader national strategy to modernise the aviation ecosystem in line with international best practices and growing global demand for digitally enabled airports.

“What is happening at MMIA goes far beyond renovation. It is a national statement. It is Nigeria announcing to the world that its aviation future will no longer be defined by ageing infrastructure, but by smart systems, operational efficiency, safety, technology and a renewed passenger experience,” Agbebire stated.

The authority explained that despite the scale of reconstruction, airport operations have continued through temporary operational arrangements carefully designed to minimise disruptions for passengers and airlines.

Agbebire added that the remodelling would significantly improve passenger flow, operational turnaround time, passenger comfort and airport security coordination upon completion.

The project is also expected to strengthen tourism, trade, cargo movement, conference tourism and foreign direct investment through improved aviation infrastructure and operational reliability.

“A modern airport does more than process passengers. It influences tourism, trade, cargo movement, foreign direct investment, airline route expansion and regional integration,” Agbebire noted.

Officials further stressed that the ongoing reforms under the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and FAAN management are aimed at improving infrastructure, operational reliability and service delivery across Nigeria’s airports.

Industry stakeholders expressed confidence that the upgraded MMIA would enhance Nigeria’s image as a leading aviation and business destination while improving travel experience for millions of passengers annually.

As construction advances toward completion, aviation authorities believe the transformed MMIA will emerge as a flagship gateway reflecting innovation, resilience, efficiency and global relevance.