The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a $45.8 million biosecurity project for five of Nigeria’s major international airports to strengthen the country’s ability to detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists after the FEC meeting at the State House in Abuja.
According to Pate, the project, which has been in preparation for two years, will be implemented through a 20-year Public-Private Partnership (PPP) involving the Bio Health Consortium and its partners.
The initiative is designed to address public health vulnerabilities at Nigeria’s borders, which receive more than 18 million international passengers annually.
Five International Airports to Benefit
The project will cover five major international airports across the country:
– Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos
– Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja
– Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano
– Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu
– Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa
Pate said the project became necessary following lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed weaknesses in countries’ abilities to identify and contain infectious diseases crossing international borders.
He stressed the need for coordinated, technology-driven systems to improve early warning, detection and response to public health threats.
How the 20-Year Project Will Work
The project will operate under a Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer (DFBOT) framework.
Under the arrangement, the private-sector partner will finance, construct, operate and maintain the infrastructure throughout the 20-year concession period.
The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) will provide regulatory oversight, while ownership of the facilities will return to the Federal Government at the end of the concession.
The planned infrastructure will include smart point-of-entry facilities, portable laboratories for rapid testing and data-sharing systems to improve coordination among relevant government agencies.
These agencies include the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Port Health Services, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The systems are expected to strengthen collaboration among health, immigration, customs and regulatory officials in identifying and responding to potential disease threats.
Nigeria Strengthens Surveillance Against Ebola
The minister also highlighted the importance of improved border surveillance, citing Nigeria’s response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He said Nigeria had maintained heightened surveillance at its points of entry before confirming an Ebola case on October 19.
According to Pate, the patient has since recovered under Nigeria’s healthcare system, while contact-tracing efforts remain ongoing.
The development underscores the importance of effective screening, rapid testing and coordinated surveillance at international entry points to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
FG Explains Proposed ₦100,000 Quarantine Support
Pate also explained the rationale behind the proposed ₦100,000 payment to people placed in quarantine.
He said the payment was intended to support their welfare during the quarantine period.
The airport biosecurity project forms part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness for public health emergencies by improving disease detection, information sharing and response capabilities at major international entry points.
