ABUJA — The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a ₦45.8 billion investment to deploy an integrated biosecurity and disease surveillance system across Nigeria’s five major international airports to protect the nation against Ebola, Lassa fever, and other emerging global pathogens.
The decision was finalized on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, during the FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.
Briefing State House correspondents following the meeting, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed that the project will be executed under a 20-year Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concession awarded to BioHealth Consortium.
Pate emphasized that with over 18 million international and domestic passengers passing through the nation’s aviation gateways annually, establishing technology-driven border health checks has become imperative for national security.
“Since COVID-19, we have known that there are significant vulnerabilities in terms of public health threats crossing borders and the need for coordinated, technology-driven systems for early warning, detection, and response to emerging infectious disease threats,” Pate stated.
The high-tech surveillance infrastructure will 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).
Under the concession terms, BioHealth Consortium will design, finance, build, operate, and maintain the biosecurity equipment throughout the 20-year operational tenure.
The minister explained that the automated screening facilities will integrate seamlessly with existing operations run by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Port Health Services, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Pate noted that severe epidemics paralyze national trade and local economies, adding that early detection systems prevent heavy economic disruptions caused by unmonitored outbreaks.
“When pathogens come and disrupt, economic activities also suffer. This project represents a strategic investment in national health security to protect public health while safeguarding economic stability,” Pate added.
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