Dare Babalola
The National Agency for the Control of AIDS has announced that Nigeria is set to receive Lenacapavir, a pioneering HIV prevention medication that has demonstrated 100 percent efficacy in preventing HIV infection during clinical trials.
The Head of Public Relations at NACA, Toyin Aderibigbe, announced in a statement on Monday that the agency has obtained regulatory approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Lenacapavir is a bi-annual injectable treatment, offering a more convenient option compared to daily oral prevention medications.
The drug is anticipated to be accessible in Nigeria and 119 other low- and middle-income countries at a cost of $40 per person per year, facilitated by voluntary licensing agreements with generic manufacturers.
“The Government of Nigeria is advancing preparations for the introduction and rollout of Lenacapavir as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).
“This is part of the government’s commitment to strengthen HIV prevention and accelerate progress toward epidemic control,” the statement read.
NACA highlighted notable achievements, including the completion of landscape and readiness assessments in ten states: Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, FCT, Gombe, Kano, Kwara, and Lagos, as well as securing regulatory approval from NAFDAC.
“The commodities are expected in the country in March 2026,” NACA noted.
Nigeria has approximately 1.9 million people living with HIV, with a national prevalence of 1.3% among adults aged 15-49 years.
The country recorded 74,000 new HIV infections and 51,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2021.
The South-South zone has the highest HIV prevalence at 3.1%, while women aged 15-49 years are more than twice as likely to be living with HIV as men.
