Kenya and Nigeria have intensified Ebola preparedness measures across airports, land borders and regional transport corridors following the expansion of the outbreak in and.
The response comes after the declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 16, while the classified the situation as a continental public health emergency.
Health authorities say the outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or targeted treatment, increasing pressure on surveillance and containment systems across the region.
In Kenya, officials have expanded monitoring systems across airports, border crossings and regional transport routes because of the country’s role as East Africa’s main aviation and logistics hub.
The Ministry of Health said more than 634,500 travellers, including international passengers, truck drivers and transport operators, had undergone screening by May 18.
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Preparedness measures include enhanced airport and border checks, deployment of digital passenger surveillance systems, monitoring of truck movement along regional trade routes, activation of rapid response teams and expansion of laboratory testing capacity through the Kenya Medical Research Institute and mobile laboratories.
Authorities said more than 2,500 truck drivers operating along regional freight corridors had also been screened as surveillance intensified along the Northern Corridor linking the Port of Mombasa to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and eastern Congo.
In Nigeria, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) announced tighter health screening procedures at international airports in coordination with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and Port Health Services.
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Passengers arriving from high-risk regions are being screened for Ebola-related symptoms, while suspected cases are to undergo isolation and secondary health checks under national and international health protocols.
Officials say the measures are aimed not only at protecting public health but also at minimising disruption to aviation systems, cargo movement and regional trade flows.
Kenya occupies a strategic position in East Africa’s transport network through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the Port of Mombasa and regional road freight systems connecting neighbouring economies.
The Kenya Airports Authority said the country’s main airport handled approximately 8.6 million passengers in 2025 as regional aviation traffic continued to recover and expand.
Nigeria meanwhile operates Africa’s second-largest domestic aviation market after.
According to FAAN, Nigeria recorded more than 10.5 million domestic air passengers in 2025, while cargo traffic through Lagos airport rose more than 34 percent during the same period.
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The outbreak is unfolding across one of Africa’s most interconnected mobility zones, where aviation systems, road freight networks and cross-border trade corridors support fuel distribution, food supply chains, mining logistics and regional passenger movement.
Eastern Congo and Uganda remain closely linked to Kenya’s logistics infrastructure through the Northern Corridor, which handles large volumes of cargo and transit trade across East Africa.
Health experts warn that the high mobility associated with regional supply chains increases the risk of cross-border transmission if surveillance systems weaken.
The current outbreak has also renewed concerns over the vulnerability of African aviation and trade systems to epidemic-related disruptions.
Previous Ebola outbreaks in West Africa between 2014 and 2016 severely affected tourism, airline operations, border trade and freight activity across several economies.
According to WHO data, that epidemic recorded more than 28,000 infections and over 11,000 deaths.
Analysts say the absence of a vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain places greater emphasis on early detection, laboratory testing, passenger monitoring and rapid containment measures.
Regional authorities are now closely monitoring the spread of cases along transport corridors, possible travel advisories and the impact of additional health screening measures on trade and mobility systems across the continent.
