Nigeria Invests N45bn in Airport Disease Surveillance System

The Federal Government has approved an investment of N45.08 billion for the deployment of an integrated biosecurity and disease surveillance system at five international airports in Nigeria. This initiative aims to strengthen the country's capacity to detect dangerous pathogens and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Professor Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, announced this decision following a Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House in Abuja. The project will be executed through a 20-year public-private partnership with the BioHealth Consortium and will utilize specialized technologies such as aircraft wastewater surveillance and advanced pathogen detection systems.

The airports involved are located in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Enugu. Pate emphasized that this system would enhance health security at Nigeria's borders and improve coordination among relevant agencies.

This investment aligns with previous efforts, including the National Biosecurity Policy and Action Plan 2022–2026, aimed at protecting human health and the environment from biological threats.