Calls grow for Gbajabiamila to Explain ₦10bn Ebola Emergency Fund

By George Omagbemi

Questions are mounting over the Federal Government’s ₦10 billion Ebola emergency preparedness fund, with critics demanding transparency from President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, who chairs the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness.

President Tinubu approved the funding on June 9, 2026, directing its immediate release to strengthen the operational capacity of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support emergency public health activities.

The controversy intensified after Nigeria confirmed an imported case of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease in October. The patient was subsequently evacuated to Switzerland for further treatment.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has demanded a detailed account of the funding, asking the government to disclose how much was released, the dates of disbursement, contracts awarded, beneficiaries and the items or services delivered.

Atiku also questioned whether the money had actually been released, arguing that Nigerians deserved evidence of how the promised emergency intervention was being implemented.

However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council stated on October 22 that the ₦10 billion remained untouched, claiming that the NCDC, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and other agencies had been using existing resources to manage surveillance and response activities.

The council did not publish financial records to substantiate that claim or explain why the approved funding had reportedly remained unused.

With Gbajabiamila leading the presidential task force, demands for accountability have placed the committee’s activities under public scrutiny.

The central issue is whether the government can provide a transparent account of the allocation, its release status and the preparedness measures undertaken.

No public evidence cited in the reports reviewed establishes that Gbajabiamila or any other official misappropriated the funds. The demand is for disclosure and accountability, not a finding of wrongdoing.