By Doris Obinna
The Federal Government has called on Nigerians, the private sector, civil society, and other stakeholders to take full ownership of the country’s HIV response as international aid for HIV/AIDS from the United States and other partners steadily declines.
The charge was made on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, in Lagos during the opening of the 7th National Council on AIDS (NCA), themed “Advancing national HIV sustainability agenda in the changing global policy on aid.”
The three-day event, which runs from August 5 to 7, brings together key actors in the health sector to deliberate on Nigeria’s strategy for sustaining progress in HIV prevention and treatment amid shifting global funding priorities.
In her address, the Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Temitope Ilori, emphasised the urgent need for Nigeria to develop innovative funding mechanisms and take full responsibility for its HIV response.
She called for the integration of HIV services into broader health programmes such as maternal and child health, tuberculosis, and malaria. Dr Ilori also advocated stronger partnerships with the private sector and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to expand treatment access across the country.
“With the removal of fuel subsidies increasing government revenues, there are proposals for a portion of health budgets to be directed specifically towards HIV programmes,” she said. “We are also seeing progress in domestic production of HIV test kits, with two WHO-certified facilities already operating in Nigeria, and we are in talks with local pharmaceutical firms to begin local manufacture of antiretroviral drugs.”
Ilori noted that only through local ownership and innovative domestic financing can Nigeria ensure a sustainable HIV response and protect its most vulnerable populations. She highlighted ongoing engagements with the National Health Insurance Authority and the Ministry of Health’s Sector-Wide Approach to integrate HIV into broader health systems.
She commended President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a $200 million intervention fund to support health initiatives and the launch of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, which aims to boost local production of HIV-related commodities. A pilot Sustainability Plan for HIV, TB, and Malaria is currently being implemented in seven states, including Lagos, with support from UNAIDS and the Global Fund.
Ilori also praised the efforts of Lagos First Lady, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, for launching the Free to Shine campaign aimed at the triple elimination of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B among adolescents and women of reproductive age in all six geopolitical zones.
Speaking at the event, Dr Sanwo-Olu emphasised the need for renewed national commitment to ending HIV/AIDS, describing it as both a health and developmental issue with deep social implications. She called for inclusive policies, integrated healthcare services, and sustained public education to combat stigma and discrimination.
“We must keep teaching our communities without getting tired,” she said, underscoring the importance of empathy and support systems for people, especially youth, living with HIV. She expressed hope that the Council’s deliberations would lead to actionable strategies and durable partnerships to advance the national HIV response.
Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), Dr Folakemi Animashaun, reiterated the call for Nigerian stakeholders to take full ownership of the response to HIV. She emphasised the importance of community-led efforts, service integration, and data-driven planning. Lagos, she noted, continues to expand access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), antiretroviral therapy (ART), and integrated health services.
The Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Prof John Obafunwa, provided updates on HIV care and prevention efforts by the Institute. “As of June 2025, NIMR was providing HIV care to 5,444 adults, 64 children, and 16 pregnant women.”
He noted that all pregnant women under NIMR’s Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme had delivered babies without transmitting the virus. “Since 2004, NIMR has managed over 8,086 HIV cases, including 1,240 children, 6,086 adults, and more than 7,331 pregnant women. In July 2025 alone, 120 adults, three children, and 24 pregnant women were newly enrolled in HIV care at the Institute.”
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