According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Lassa fever continues to pose a serious public health challenge in West Africa, with recent reports showing hundreds of confirmed cases and numerous deaths. The NCDC’s situation reports from 2025 reveal that as of weeks 23 and 37, Nigeria alone has recorded over 7,600 suspected cases, with more than 900 confirmed across 21 states and 106 Local Government Areas.
In 2025, Nigeria has experienced a total of 152 deaths from Lassa fever, with a case fatality rate hovering around 18.7%, higher than previous years. The regions most affected include Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi, which account for the majority of cases.
The ECOWAS region remains actively engaged in combatting the disease, organizing international conferences like ELFIC 2025 in Abidjan to improve preparedness, coordination, and response strategies. These efforts are aimed at reducing morbidity, mortality, and transmission through multisectoral approaches involving health, agriculture, and environmental sectors.
Health authorities continue to advocate for strict surveillance, data sharing, and community-based interventions, emphasizing that lessons learned from current outbreaks can help manage other zoonotic diseases in West Africa. Staying vigilant and supporting coordinated regional responses are key to controlling Lassa fever’s impact.
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