The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has warned that the 2027 general election could be postponed if the Ebola outbreak in the country spreads to a level that threatens public safety and makes the conduct of the polls difficult.

NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, gave the indication while appearing on Channels Television’s  Politics Today, where he discussed the outbreak and its possible implications for political activities.

Idris, however, stressed that there was no immediate reason to consider postponing the polls.

He said the decision would depend on the scale of the outbreak and the risks it could pose to the population if the situation deteriorated.

“We in the health sector did not use disease issues as a political weapon,” he said.

The NCDC chief added: “We hope the election will not be postponed but if the thing gets wide enough that might be considered, as at now there is no need for that.”

Idris explained that health authorities had monitored the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) before the virus was detected in Nigeria.

He said international travel and the movement of people across borders had made it necessary for the country to remain alert.

“This Ebola thing started in DRC a couple of months ago and we were tracking, they said for you to track again there is a possibility that it may get here due to our population movement, flight into this country, and ports of entry, yet it came, no government will use Ebola as a political weapon.”

However, Idris did not announce any postponement or indicate that the Federal Government had begun a formal process to change the election timetable.

His remarks presented postponement as a possible measure only if the disease reached a level that justified such consideration.

The election timetable and any decision to alter it remain matters for the relevant electoral and government authorities.

The NCDC’s responsibility is to monitor the outbreak, coordinate the public health response and provide guidance based on the evolving situation

The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo virus, a species of Ebola virus that has spread beyond the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Nigeria confirmed an imported case in the Federal Capital Territory on October 20, 2026, prompting health authorities to activate emergency response arrangements.

The case involved a woman who had travelled from Uganda to Nigeria through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to information released by health authorities, she developed symptoms on October 7 and sought medical care in Abuja before laboratory testing confirmed the infection on October 20.

The confirmation prompted the NCDC and other public health agencies to intensify surveillance, contact tracing and infection prevention measures.

Health officials also began monitoring people who had been in contact with the patient, including healthcare workers and other close contacts.

As of October 24, the NCDC’s Ebola situation report listed 53 contacts linked to the confirmed case.

The agency also reported a suspected case in Rivers State on October 23, but laboratory results returned negative for Ebola.

Although the reported case has raised concerns, the NCDC has continued to coordinate the response with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, health authorities in the FCT and other partners.

The agency has also urged healthcare facilities to remain vigilant, identify suspected infections promptly and follow the appropriate isolation, reporting and infection prevention procedures.

Idris maintained that the health sector would not use the outbreak for political purposes.

In a related development, The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention intensified its emergency response after the Federal Government confirmed the country’s first case of Ebola disease in the current outbreak on October 20, 2026.

The confirmation came after the virus spread beyond the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with Kenya also reporting imported cases linked to the regional outbreak.

In a statement issued on October 20, the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Africa confirmed that Nigeria had detected an imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory.

The WHO said the patient had recently travelled from Uganda and developed symptoms four days after arriving in Nigeria.

She sought treatment at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11, while laboratory testing confirmed the infection on October 20.

At the time of the initial announcement, health authorities said 44 contacts had been identified and were being monitored. The number later increased as contact-tracing activities continued.

The Federal Government subsequently activated public health response measures involving the NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and FCT health authorities.

The response included contact tracing, laboratory investigations, isolation arrangements and measures to prevent infections within healthcare facilities.

The NCDC also increased surveillance at points of entry and called on hospitals to promptly report patients whose symptoms and travel histories could indicate a possible infection.

On October 25, Idris issued a further update on Nigeria’s response.

He reassured the public that the government and its partners were committed to containing the outbreak, while confirming that the patient remained under isolation and was receiving medical care.

The NCDC director-general said the response would focus on identifying and monitoring contacts, protecting healthcare workers and preventing further transmission.

He also urged Nigerians to cooperate with public health teams and avoid spreading unverified information about the outbreak.

The agency’s situation report dated October 24 recorded 53 contacts linked to the confirmed case and stated that the patient had improved remarkably.

It also reported that a suspected Ebola case in Rivers State had tested negative.

The outbreak has also attracted international attention because the Bundibugyo virus has been detected in several countries.

In an update published on October 23, the WHO reported continued transmission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and confirmed that imported cases had been identified in Kenya and Nigeria.

The WHO called for sustained surveillance, early detection, contact tracing and coordination among countries to prevent further spread.

It also advised against restrictions on travel to or trade with affected countries.

The public health response has become particularly important as Nigeria approaches the 2027 election season.

 Political campaigns and election activities could require large gatherings and extensive movement across states, making effective disease surveillance and containment essential.

However, the NCDC’s public health updates have focused on controlling the outbreak, and no official announcement has been made that the 2027 elections have been postponed.