Lagos State Safety Commission has called on operators of hotels, nightclubs, event centres, lounges, restaurants and other hospitality businesses to reinforce health and safety protocols following recent global alerts on Ebola outbreaks reported in parts of Central and East Africa.
The advisory comes amid heightened biosecurity screening measures at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, although no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease has been recorded in Lagos State or anywhere in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and made available to journalists, the Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Lanre Mojola, said the precautionary directive became necessary due to Lagos’ position as a major international gateway and commercial hub.
According to the commission, the advisory was prompted by recent global health notifications concerning Ebola outbreaks in parts of Africa and the Federal Government’s decision to strengthen health surveillance and screening procedures at the nation’s busiest airport.
The statement read: “Following the recent global health declarations regarding the Ebola virus outbreak in parts of Central and East Africa and the subsequent strengthening of biosecurity screening protocols by the Federal Government at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, the Director General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola, has issued a critical precautionary advisory directed at all owners, operators, and managers of hospitality and social establishments across the state.
“The Commission strongly emphasises that there is currently no confirmed case of Ebola within Lagos State or Nigeria; however, the city’s status as a major international travel hub and commercial epicentre necessitates immediate, proactive measures to safeguard residents and visitors alike.”
Mojola noted that facilities that accommodate large gatherings and close human interaction must take the lead in implementing preventive measures to minimise potential public health risks.
He directed operators of hotels, lounges, event centres, restaurants and nightclubs to immediately restore hand hygiene stations equipped with running water and soap or alcohol-based hand sanitisers at entrances and other strategic locations within their premises.
The safety commission also urged establishments to intensify cleaning and disinfection routines, particularly on frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, handrails, countertops, payment terminals and menus, using approved hospital-grade disinfectants.
The statement further advised management teams to train staff members to identify early symptoms of illness, conduct routine health checks and ensure any employee exhibiting signs of fever or sickness stays away from work.
“He enjoined all establishments to significantly increase the frequency of cleaning and disinfection routines, utilising hospital-grade disinfectants on all high-touch surfaces such as countertops, door handles, handrails, menus, and payment terminals.
“Furthermore, he urged management teams to properly train front-of-house, housekeeping, and security personnel to recognise early symptoms of illness, implement daily health checks for staff, and enforce a strict stay-at-home policy for any employee exhibiting signs of fever,” the statement added.
The commission also instructed hospitality operators to designate temporary isolation areas within their facilities where any guest or staff member showing signs of severe illness can be safely kept pending medical attention.
In addition, venue operators were encouraged to regulate crowd density and maintain adequate ventilation in enclosed spaces to reduce health risks.
Mojola urged operators to remain calm, vigilant and cooperative, noting that safety officials would intensify monitoring and compliance inspections across the state.
He added that any suspected case involving severe fever or illness should be immediately isolated and reported through designated Lagos State emergency health channels.
“Any suspected medical emergency involving severe fever or illness must be immediately isolated and reported to the official Lagos State health hotlines at 08023169485, 08033565529 or 07000SAFETY,” the statement stated.