The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has announced that Nigeria would take delivery of Lenacapavir, a groundbreaking human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention drug that has shown 100 per cent effectiveness in preventing the viral infection in clinical trials.
A short statement released by the Head of Public Relations for NACA, Mrs Toyin Aderibigbe, on Monday said the agency had secured regulatory approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
HIV over time causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDs), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive.
Lenacapavir is an injectable treatment administered twice a year, making it a more convenient alternative to daily oral prevention drugs.
The drug is expected to be available in Nigeria and 119 other low- and middle-income countries at an affordable price of $40 per person annually, thanks to 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 listed some significant milestones achieved, including completion of landscape and readiness assessments across ten states: Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, FCT, Gombe, Kano, Kwara, and Lagos, alongside regulatory approval by 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.
Daily oral PrEP has been available in Nigeria since 2016, but uptake varies. Adherence issues like pill fatigue, stigma, limited awareness, and inconsistent access have hindered wider use.
Newer PrEP options include injections that last two or six months, providing an alternative for those who prefer less frequent dosing and may overcome many barriers of daily oral use.