Nigeria requires health declaration before boarding

All travelers bound for Nigeria must complete a health declaration before entering the country.

The requirement, available through the official portal at healthapp.ncdc.gov.ng, applies to both foreign nationals and Nigerian citizens returning from abroad. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) recommends completing the form online before traveling to receive a digital confirmation that can be presented to health officials upon arrival.

The Nigeria Health Declaration Form is mandatory and free of charge. Travelers are advised to submit it at least 24 hours before departure.

Nigeria strengthens its health declaration requirement in 2026

Nigeria’s health declaration is not an entirely new entry requirement.

The NCDC had already introduced an online form for inbound travelers at the same web address several years before the current information campaign. At the time, the agency described it as a tool for monitoring the possible importation of infectious diseases and supporting outbreak control.

The requirement was subsequently made mandatory for arrivals in Nigeria beginning August 11, 2024, amid the spread of mpox in several African countries.

Enforcement has nevertheless been significantly strengthened in 2026.

On May 26, 2026, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare adopted a border surveillance protocol in response to regional outbreaks of Ebola virus disease. The protocol requires all travelers to complete either a digital or paper health declaration before arrival and provides for QR codes to be generated and verified through the national system.

On May 30, 2026, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) instructed all airlines operating international flights to Nigeria, effective immediately, to ensure that arriving passengers complete the NCDC health declaration before entering the country. Airlines must inform travelers before boarding and help ensure compliance with the requirement. Paper forms remain available upon arrival for passengers who were unable to complete the online declaration before departure.

Who must complete Nigeria’s Health Declaration Form?

Every person arriving in Nigeria from an international destination must complete the declaration, including:

• tourists and business travelers;
• Nigerian citizens returning from abroad;
• official travelers and diplomats;
• people entering by air, land or sea.

Each traveler must submit a separate declaration. Those arriving by road or sea will also be asked to provide information about the vehicle or vessel used for their journey.

The NCDC recommends submitting the form at least 24 hours before travel. The portal states that it must be completed before boarding in all cases and advises travelers to finalize the process before checking in with their airline.

How to complete the Nigeria Health Declaration Form

The form can be completed free of charge on a smartphone, tablet or computer. No user account is required, and the NCDC estimates that the process takes less than five minutes.

Travelers are asked to provide information including:

• their name, nationality and passport number;
• their phone number and email address;
• contact details for an emergency contact in Nigeria;
• their arrival date, flight number and point of entry;
• their country of origin and any transit countries;
• their address while in Nigeria;
• the countries they have visited during the previous 21 days;
• their seat number when traveling by air;
• any recent symptoms;
• any possible contact with people who were ill;
• their vaccination status and yellow fever vaccination certificate details, when requested.

Personal information must match the details shown in the traveler’s passport exactly.

The NCDC also advises travelers to review the declaration carefully before submitting it. Once submitted, the form cannot be edited. If the page returns to the beginning of the form before submission, a “Restore” function should normally allow travelers to recover information they have already entered.

A PDF with a QR code is sent by email

Once the form has been submitted, the traveler receives an email containing a PDF confirmation and an individual QR code.

The document can be saved on a phone or printed. It must be presented to health officials at the point of entry, where the QR code may be scanned to verify the declaration.

Travelers who do not receive the email are advised to check their spam folder and confirm that the email address entered on the form is correct.

Under the instructions issued to airlines, travelers who were unable to complete the online form may fill out a paper version upon arrival. This option is nevertheless intended to remain exceptional, as authorities recommend completing the requirement before check-in to avoid lines or additional screening.

The portal warns that travelers who fail to submit the declaration may be subject to mandatory health screening and could potentially be denied entry. Travelers who report symptoms may be referred for further assessment, although this does not automatically mean they will be refused admission to Nigeria.

Travelers may be monitored for 21 days

The NCDC portal also includes a notice regarding health monitoring after arrival.

Authorities state that people entering Nigeria may be monitored for up to 21 days as part of the country’s infectious disease surveillance system. Travelers may be contacted by phone, text message or, when necessary, directly by a health team.

They are therefore advised to provide a valid phone number and address in Nigeria and to promptly report symptoms such as fever, coughing or difficulty breathing.

A separate requirement from the Digital Landing Card

The NCDC health declaration does not replace the entry requirements administered by the Nigeria Immigration Service.

Travelers who are subject to the requirement must also complete the Digital Landing Card before arrival. A digital exit card may also be required before leaving Nigeria. These documents are used for immigration controls, while the Health Declaration Form is handled by public health authorities.

A foreign national traveling to Nigeria may therefore need to prepare several digital documents before departure:

• a visa or e-Visa, when required for their nationality;
• the Digital Landing Card;
• the NCDC health declaration and its QR code.