Nigeria recorded about 45,000 new HIV infections in 2025, sparking fresh concerns over the rising vulnerability of young Nigerians to the virus.
The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) raised the alarm yesterday, warning that poor access to accurate prevention information among youths could undermine gains made in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
NACA Director-General, Dr Temitope Ilori, disclosed the figure during a two-day media workshop on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) held in Lagos.
She said although the country had continued to witness a decline in new infections over the years, emerging figures showed that prevention efforts needed to be intensified, especially among young people.
“Last year we had about 45,000 new infections because it’s reported across the federation. I’m happy to say that it is declining, but recently we are beginning to see some new figures popping up, particularly because our young people do not have the right information about HIV,” Ilori said.
She said misinformation and lack of awareness remained major challenges, prompting NACA to engage journalists, social media influencers and other media stakeholders to improve public understanding of HIV prevention.
Ilori stressed that HIV remains a reality in Nigeria but urged Nigerians not to see the virus as a death sentence, as infected persons can live healthy lives with proper treatment.
“AIDS is real, HIV is real, people come down with HIV, but the good news is that it’s not a death sentence,” she said.
She explained that while there is currently no cure for HIV, the virus can be prevented and controlled through measures such as condom use, abstinence, mutual faithfulness and access to PrEP for people at higher risk.
On PrEP, the NACA boss clarified that the preventive drug was not meant for every Nigerian but targeted at individuals who face greater risk of contracting HIV.
“We are not saying every Nigerian should use PrEP, but those that are most at risk and most vulnerable to contracting HIV will have this option of using PrEP and staying safe,” she said.
Ilori also disclosed that the long-acting injectable PrEP, known as LEN-PrEP, was still being tested under a pilot programme in selected states and was not yet available commercially in Nigeria.
She said the injections were currently provided free of charge through partnerships with international and donor organisations supporting the programme.
WHO Technical Officer for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STI, Dr Oluwafunke Odunlade, explained that PrEP uses antiretroviral medicines to prevent HIV infection when taken correctly by HIV-negative persons at risk.
She, however, warned that individuals must undergo HIV testing before starting PrEP, stressing that people already living with HIV require treatment and not preventive medication.
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