Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has urged Nigerians to renew their commitment to ending AIDS by 2030, calling on young people to take responsibility for their health and communities to reject stigma in all its forms.
In her message commemorating World AIDS Day 2025, Mrs Tinubu said this year’s theme, “Overcoming Disruptions; Transforming the AIDS Response,” reflects a pivotal moment in the country’s fight against HIV.
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She noted that although Nigeria has made progress in prevention, treatment, and care, sustaining those gains requires consistent public awareness and collective action.
According to her, every Nigerian should have access to life-saving services free from stigma and discrimination, stressing that discriminatory attitudes continue to prevent many from seeking the help they need.
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She added that the country’s progress must not be lost as it pushes towards the global target of ending AIDS by 2030.
Call for compassion, youth responsibility
Mrs Tinubu urge young Nigerians to prioritise regular HIV testing and seek treatment immediately if they test positive.
She reminded the youth that knowing one’s status remains a vital first step in preventing new infections and protecting long-term health outcomes.
Mrs Tinubu also appealed to communities to deepen their support for people living with HIV.
“To our communities, I call on you to show compassion and say no to stigmatisation,” she said.
According to her, empathy, solidarity, and accurate information are essential to transforming the AIDS response, especially as misinformation and social pressure often discourage people from accessing services.
Shrinking global funding for HIV response
In an earlier statement issued ahead of World AIDS Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) also called on African governments to increase domestic investment and strengthen their health systems, warning that global pullbacks in HIV financing risk slowing progress across the continent.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, said the year’s theme captures the region’s growing vulnerability as external funding becomes less predictable.
He explained that many HIV programmes still rely heavily on international support, making it crucial for governments to protect existing gains through sustainable local financing.
Mr Janabi added that although the disruptions pose a significant challenge, they also present an opportunity for countries to build stronger, more resilient systems.
He noted that several African nations are now embedding HIV services into primary healthcare structures, a move designed to ensure people-centred and inclusive care even in the face of shifting global priorities.
Nigeria meets two of three global HIV targets
Earlier this month, Nigeria announced that it has met two of the three global HIV targets set for 2030, marking one of the country’s strongest performances in decades.
The Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Temitope Ilori, said the country currently stands at 87–98–95 in the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets.
Ms Ilori noted that Nigeria has continued to record major achievements in the past year, particularly in expanding access to treatment and strengthening efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
However, she stressed that sustained momentum is essential if the country is to fully meet the 2030 goals and ensure that gains are not reversed.
More than two million Nigerians are currently living with HIV, highlighting the need for sustained investment in prevention, testing, and access to treatment nationwide.
Global burden remains high
WHO data shows that since the beginning of the HIV epidemic, 91.4 million people have been infected with the virus and about 44.1 million have died from HIV-related causes.
As of the end of 2024, an estimated 40.8 million people were living with HIV globally.
The organisation noted that the burden of the epidemic remains uneven, with the WHO African Region continuing to be the most severely affected.
Nearly one in every 30 adults in the region lives with HIV, accounting for more than two-thirds of the global total.
READ ALSO: WHO warns of shrinking HIV funding, urges African govts to boost investment
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.
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.
