The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have called for wider use of HIV prevention options, including LEN-PrEP, oral pills, injectables, condoms and abstinence, as Nigeria works to reduce new HIV infections.
Speaking in Lagos at a two-day training of media personnel on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post Exposure Prophylaxis ( PEP), NACA Director-General, Dr. Temitope Ilori, said the agency was piloting LEN-PrEP, a six-month injectable form of HIV prevention, alongside other options to give Nigerians more choices beyond daily medication.
Dr. Ilori said Nigeria recorded about 45,000 new HIV infections in 2025, noting that although infections had been declining, they were beginning to rise again, particularly among young people.
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She expressed concern over declining condom use among young people and urged sexually active Nigerians to practise safer sex, know their HIV status and use available prevention options.
According to her, Nigeria currently has daily oral PrEP, injectable CAB-LA administered every two months and LEN-PrEP, administered once every six months.
She explained that LEN-PrEP is currently being piloted in selected states and offered free at designated health facilities, stating that the government is working with development and international partners to expand access.
Dr. Ilori stressed that HIV has no cure yet but can be prevented and effectively managed.
She also highlighted the U=U message, Undetectable Equals Untransmittable, urging people living with HIV who are on treatment to remain consistent with their medication to prevent transmission.
The NACA Director-General said Nigeria’s HIV prevalence remains at an estimated 1.3 per cent, meaning more than 98 per cent of Nigerians are not infected.
Accessible Information
Speaking further, PrEP Focal Person at the National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Programme, NASCP, Mr. Olakunle Taiwo underscored the importance of providing accurate and accessible information about HIV prevention.
Olakunle explained that effective communication was essential to shaping public perception of PrEP, correcting misconceptions and enabling people to make informed decisions about the prevention option that best suited their lifestyle, health needs and circumstances.
He noted that misinformation could discourage people from accessing HIV prevention services.
Olakunle stressed that journalists and social media practitioners had a responsibility to ensure that information shared with the public was factual, understandable and evidence-based.
According to him, better public understanding of PrEP would help Nigerians appreciate the available prevention choices and make informed decisions about protecting themselves from HIV.
Also speaking, WHO Technical Officer for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STI, Dr. Oluwafunke Odunlade, explained that PrEP works by preventing HIV from establishing infection when used correctly.
She stressed that individuals must test negative for HIV before starting PrEP, noting that the medicines are designed for prevention and not treatment.
Dr. Odunlade said healthcare providers should determine the most appropriate PrEP option for each individual.
According to her, oral PrEP could also benefit people living with Hepatitis B, while injectable options could suit those who have difficulty taking daily pills.
Integrated Healthcare
She advocated integrated healthcare services, where patients can be screened for HIV, Hepatitis B, tuberculosis and malaria during the same visit to improve access, efficiency and convenience.
Similarly, Dr. Ayiola Abiodun-Olufemi, Director of Health and Social Care at the National Orientation Agency (NOA), reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting NACA in taking HIV prevention messages to communities across the country.
Abiodun-Olufemi said NOA would collaborate with the media and other stakeholders to ensure that information on PrEP reached not only people in urban centres but also grassroots communities and underserved populations.
He stressed the importance of taking health information closer to the people, particularly communities that may have limited access to healthcare services or credible information on HIV prevention.
Representing implementing partners, Mr. Taofeek Adeleye, Senior Prevention Programme Manager at AHF Nigeria, said partners were deploying a combination of HIV prevention strategies to expand awareness and access to PrEP, particularly among young people.
Adeleye said interventions include school health clubs, community engagement, condom promotion, PrEP, Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), as well as public education on HIV transmission and prevention.
He explained that combining different prevention approaches was important because individuals have different circumstances and levels of risk, adding that no single prevention method would meet the needs of everyone.
According to him, creating an enabling environment through government support, community participation and strong partnerships was essential to ensuring that every Nigerian could access the HIV prevention option most appropriate to their needs.
He also stressed the importance of reaching young people through platforms and programmes they could easily understand and relate to.
The stakeholders urged journalists and social media practitioners to use their platforms to dispel myths, reduce stigma and discrimination, and promote accurate information about HIV transmission, testing, treatment and prevention.
They said stronger collaboration between government agencies, development partners, healthcare providers, communities and the media would be critical to sustaining Nigeria’s progress towards HIV epidemic control.
