The Nigerian government on Monday revealed that the country has exceeded key global HIV treatment benchmarks and is on course to eliminate AIDS as a public health threat before 2030.
Speaking at an event to commemorate the 2025 World AIDS Day in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, said the country continues to make strong progress despite global economic pressures, shrinking development assistance and supply chain disruptions.
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Mr Salako noted that Nigeria has placed 98 per cent of people living with HIV on treatment, surpassing the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) target.
He added that the country had also achieved 95 per cent viral suppression and was well on the way to ensuring that at least 95 per cent of Nigerians with HIV know their status.
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He said these outcomes demonstrate that Nigeria is steadily moving toward ending AIDS as a public health threat.
Under the UNAIDS 95–95–95 global targets, countries are expected by 2030 to ensure that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed receive sustained treatment, and 95 per cent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Temitope Ilori, earlier said Nigeria now stands at 87–98–95.
“We have maintained an impressive 87–98–95 performance toward the global 95–95–95 targets, demonstrating significant progress in diagnosis, treatment coverage, and viral suppression across the country,” Ms Ilori said.
“87 per cent of people living with HIV in Nigeria know their status, 98 per cent of those who know their status are on life-saving treatment, and 95 per cent of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression—meaning they cannot transmit HIV.”
Progress in HIV prevention and expanded testing
Mr Salako also highlighted progress in HIV prevention, including the scale-up of awareness campaigns and expanded access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Long-acting PrEP formulations, he said, are now available in hundreds of facilities nationwide to reach adolescents, key populations, sero-discordant couples and individuals at higher risk.
He noted that people living with HIV now benefit from annual liver and kidney function tests through expanded health insurance coverage to improve long-term treatment outcomes.
According to Mr Salako, Nigeria’s health data systems have been strengthened through improvements in real-time monitoring, forecasting and accountability mechanisms.
He said the government is steadily integrating HIV services with tuberculosis, malaria, nutrition and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) services.
“This integrated approach ensures that children and adolescents can access multiple essential services during a single visit, reducing missed opportunities and improving outcomes,” he said.
Mr Salako also announced that the National Council on Health (NCH) recently approved a reduction in the consent age for voluntary HIV counselling and testing, from 18 to 14 years.
The measure, he said, is aligned with global best practice and is expected to increase testing among adolescents and reduce transmission rates.
He added that the Council also approved the institutionalisation of the National Clinical Mentorship Programme and directed state health ministries to integrate mentorship activities into their annual plans and budgets.
Persistent gaps remain
Despite the progress, he acknowledged that gaps remain in the national response.
These include rising infections among young people, persistent stigma and unequal access to services across communities.
He called on states, civil society, communities, the private sector and development partners to strengthen collaboration and drive innovation to meet national and global targets.
Mr Salako stressed that ending HIV/AIDS extends beyond healthcare delivery and reflects issues of justice, dignity and the future of children and young people.
He also expressed confidence that, under President Bola Tinubu’s administration and with the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, personally leading national efforts, Nigeria is firmly on track to achieve the target before the global deadline.
World AIDS
World AIDS Day, observed annually on 1 December, serves as a reminder of the progress made in the global HIV response and the gaps that persist.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said this year’s theme, “Overcoming Disruptions; Transforming the AIDS Response,” reflects the region’s growing vulnerability.
READ ALSO: Strengthening Nigeria’s HIV response amid global funding uncertainty
WHO said the 2025 commemoration highlights the need for sustained political commitment, international cooperation, and human-rights-centred approaches to achieve the goal of ending AIDS by 2030.
While disruptions continue to challenge health systems worldwide, the organisation emphasised that hope remains rooted in the resilience, innovation, and determination of communities at the forefront of the response.
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