Madagascar blocks recent Kenya, Nigeria, DRC visitors and quarantines exempt arrivals

Madagascar has started refusing entry to foreign nationals who have visited or transited through Kenya, Nigeria or the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the 21 days before arrival. The measure, announced in an official public health notice, took effect on 1 November 2026 as the country steps up efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola.

Key facts

• Effective date: 1 November 2026
• Affected: foreign nationals who visited or transited Kenya, Nigeria or the DRC within the previous 21 days
• Exempt groups face a mandatory 21-day quarantine plus health monitoring
• Travellers pay for their own quarantine accommodation, meals and transport
• Kenya Airways has told passengers to check the new requirements before departure

Who is being denied entry?

Under the new measures, foreign nationals who have been in, or transited through, Kenya, Nigeria or the DRC during the 21 days preceding their arrival will be temporarily denied entry into Madagascar. The restriction applies to all three countries equally, and the notice does not state an end date for the measure.

Who is exempt — and what must they do?

Malagasy citizens are exempt from the entry ban, as are foreign residents holding a valid work or student visa, authorised diplomats, and expatriate staff working for international organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The exemption also covers any other person authorised to enter Madagascar from the three affected countries.

Being exempt does not mean being free of restrictions. The public health notice states that these travellers are subject to a compulsory 21-day quarantine with health monitoring, in accordance with applicable procedures.

How much does the quarantine cost?

Affected passengers must cover the costs of their quarantine themselves, including accommodation, meals and transport to designated health facilities. No price or list of facilities is given in the notice.

What has the airline said?

Kenya Airways has cautioned passengers travelling to Madagascar to familiarise themselves with the requirements before departure. Its travel advisory notes the public health measures and restrictions put in place by the government of Madagascar for anyone who has been to or transited through Kenya, Nigeria and the DRC.

What this means for travellers

Anyone planning to enter Madagascar should check whether they have been in Kenya, Nigeria or the DRC in the previous 21 days before booking. Foreign nationals in that position will be turned away; those in an exempt category should plan for a 21-day quarantine and budget for the accommodation, meals and transport involved.

Other countries imposing restrictions

Madagascar joins a growing list of countries introducing travel measures linked to the Ebola outbreak in Kenya. Saudi Arabia announced similar steps on 30 October 2026, suspending travel by its citizens to Kenya, halting issuance of all visa categories to Kenyan travellers, and barring passengers arriving directly from Kenya or who had visited within the previous 21 days, including those transiting elsewhere.

El Salvador has restricted entry for passengers arriving from or transiting through Kenya under Official Letter No. 2026-6000-055, extending the restrictions to Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC. In Israel, the Ministry of Health urged immigration authorities to consider a temporary entry ban on non-citizens who had visited Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan or the DRC within the previous 21 days — a recommendation rather than an immediate blanket ban.

Kenya's response

Kenya's Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, in a statement issued on 31 October 2026, questioned the justification for some of the international restrictions on Kenyan passengers, calling the measures "excessive but not backed by the current epidemiological situation".

He said health authorities had traced all 135 people identified as contacts of the imported index case — 100 per cent of known contacts — of whom 118 were placed under active quarantine. All eight confirmed cases were linked to the initial case, involving four healthcare workers and four close family members, and no community transmission had been detected outside the identified cluster.

Kenya's Ministry of Health reported no new Ebola case since 19 October 2026, while the outbreak has claimed two lives, including that of the initial patient.

No end date has been announced for Madagascar's restrictions. Travellers with upcoming bookings involving Kenya, Nigeria or the DRC should watch for further notices from the Malagasy authorities.