Nigeria must shift HIV focus to accessible prevention, experts urge
Nigeria has nearly hit the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets: 87% of the estimated two million people living with HIV know their status, 98% of those diagnosed are on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment have suppressed the virus. Over the last ten years, new infections have fallen 46%. Yet prevention remains weak. In late 2023, NACA recorded about 1,400 new HIV infections and 50,000 AIDS-related deaths each week, with 22,000 of those weekly infections among children aged 0‑14. Nigeria now accounts for a quarter of global mother‑to‑child transmission, driven largely by post‑natal dropout (60% of child cases) and mixed feeding.
For adults, three out of ten new infections occur among “ordinary Nigerians” outside traditional high‑risk groups, mainly through heterosexual sex (up to 80%) fueled by multiple partnerships and low condom use. Adolescent girls and young women aged 15‑24 are more than three times as likely to be living with HIV as their male peers, reflecting gaps in sex education, economic vulnerability and stigma.
Prevention tools exist but are not reaching those who need them. The long‑acting injectable PrEP Lenacapavir offers protection for six months but can cost up to ₦360,000 (about $250) privately, putting it out of reach for many. While the US PEPFAR programme has contributed over $6 billion to Nigeria’s HIV response since 2003, recent funding cuts have disrupted community‑led services and depleted commodity stocks in several states.
Experts argue that Nigeria’s success should be measured by whether any ordinary citizen can obtain condoms, stigma‑free testing, PrEP or timely maternal care, regardless of income, age or location. Shifting media focus from raw infection numbers to service coverage would better reflect real progress.
Will you demand affordable PrEP, support community‑based testing, or urge leaders to sustain domestic financing for HIV prevention?