Nigeria’s fight against HIV is far from over, and the burden is falling heaviest on young people.
The National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, disclosed yesterday that the country recorded about 45,000 new HIV infections in 2025. Young Nigerians account for the largest share, a trend the agency blames largely on poor access to prevention information.
Speaking at a two-day workshop for media executives in Lagos, NACA Director-General Dr. Temitope Ilori said while overall infections have been declining, recent data shows a troubling reversal among youths.
“Last year we had about 45,000 new infections because it’s reported across the federation,” Ilori said. “I’m happy to say that it is declining but recent times, we’re beginning to see some new figures popping up, and it’s because, particularly among our young people, they do not have the right information about HIV.”
Information Gap, Not Medicine Gap
The workshop, held in partnership with the World Health Organisation, was designed to equip journalists and influencers with facts to close that information gap.
“We decided to engage journalists, social media influencers and other media officials to improve HIV information available to the public,” Ilori said.
Her message was blunt: HIV is real. AIDS is real. But it is no longer a death sentence.
Prevention Options Expand
Ilori stressed that while there is no cure, HIV can be prevented and effectively treated. Tools include condoms, abstinence, mutual faithfulness, and PrEP — antiretroviral drugs for HIV-negative people at higher risk.
“We don’t want to emphasise medicalisation of PrEP,” she noted. “We are not saying every Nigerian should use PrEP, but those most at risk, most vulnerable to contracting HIV will have this option of using PrEP and staying safe.”
WHO Technical Officer Dr. Oluwafunke Odunlade added that an HIV test must come first before starting PrEP.
On LEN-PrEP, the new injectable version, Ilori said it remains in pilot phase in selected states and is currently free. It is not yet commercially available as NACA works with partners to bring in more doses.
