The Lagos State Government has announced plans to receive the country’s first state-funded HIV medicine shipment before the end of August 2026, making it the first state in Nigeria to independently procure antiretroviral drugs for people living with HIV.
The announcement was made on Thursday by the Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency, Folakemi Animashaun, during a media briefing in Alausa, Ikeja.
According to Animashaun, the initiative represents a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to guarantee uninterrupted HIV treatment while reducing dependence on international donor support.
“We are pleased to inform Lagosians that the first consignment of these state-procured ARV medicines is expected to arrive in Lagos by the end of August 2026.”
She added:
“This marks a historic milestone, making Lagos State the first sub-national government in Nigeria to independently procure antiretroviral medicines for people living with HIV.”
Animashaun said the procurement reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery and ensuring residents continue to receive life-saving HIV treatment regardless of changes in global donor funding.
“This landmark initiative demonstrates the unwavering commitment of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to safeguarding the health of Lagos residents, reducing dependence on external donor support, and ensuring uninterrupted access to life-saving HIV treatment.”
Lagos Targets Sustainable HIV Drug Supply
Beyond importing medicines, the Lagos State Government is also exploring the possibility of producing antiretroviral medicines locally in collaboration with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
Animashaun said the state intends to adopt international best practices, particularly lessons from Kenya’s pharmaceutical and health commodity management system, to strengthen local health security.
“Furthermore, the state is exploring opportunities to strengthen local health security through sustainable antiretroviral commodity production by leveraging international best practices, including lessons from Kenya’s pharmaceutical and health commodity management experience, while collaborating with global partners such as UNAIDS.”
She explained that local manufacturing would strengthen supply chains, improve long-term access to HIV medicines, and reduce treatment costs over time.
Lagos Rejects Interpretation of Federal HIV Figures
The agency also responded to recent reports generated from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s State of the Health of the Nation Report 2025, which listed Lagos as recording 10,430 new HIV infections, the highest figure among Nigerian states.
Animashaun argued that the data had been widely misunderstood, saying the reported number referred to newly diagnosed HIV-positive cases rather than people who became infected during 2025.
“The figure widely reported in the media requires important technical interpretation. It does not literally translate to the state recording 10,430 new HIV infections in 2025.”
She continued:
“The number that has been widely circulated refers to newly diagnosed HIV-positive cases, not necessarily new HIV infections that occurred within the year. These are two very different public health indicators.”
According to her, many individuals included in the figure may have contracted HIV years before but only recently underwent testing.
Others may have travelled to Lagos for diagnosis or treatment, while some were referred from other states because of Lagos’ extensive healthcare network.
Animashaun noted that new HIV infections are estimated using epidemiological surveillance and scientific modelling rather than routine testing records.
“New HIV infections refer to individuals who acquired HIV within a defined period and are estimated using established epidemiological surveillance methods and scientific modelling.”
She warned that confusing newly diagnosed cases with newly acquired infections could create unnecessary fear, fuel stigma, discourage testing, and weaken public health interventions.
The Lagos State AIDS Control Agency said it has begun discussions with relevant stakeholders to better understand the methodology and assumptions used in the federal report.
The agency further explained that Lagos naturally records a high number of HIV diagnoses because it is Nigeria’s most populous state, a major commercial centre, and one of the country’s largest healthcare referral destinations.
According to programme data presented during the briefing, Lagos conducted 504,800 HIV tests in 2025, identifying 11,940 positive cases, representing a positivity rate of 2.4 per cent.
During the first quarter of 2026, the state carried out 179,229 HIV tests and recorded 3,390 positive cases, while the positivity rate declined to 1.9 per cent.
Animashaun described the declining positivity rate despite increased testing as an encouraging sign that HIV control efforts are improving across the state.
She also disclosed that 147,904 people were receiving antiretroviral treatment in Lagos as of 2025, with 97 per cent achieving viral suppression.
In addition, the state’s Early Infant Diagnosis positivity rate dropped from 5.1 per cent in 2020 to 1.5 per cent in 2025, reflecting progress in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
Animashaun announced that Lagos has launched an HIV Response Acceleration Plan running from July to September 2026 across all 20 local government areas and 57 local council development areas.
The programme includes expanded HIV testing, improved treatment retention, stronger community prevention campaigns, and the rollout of both oral and long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis.
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She urged residents not to panic and encouraged people to know their HIV status, seek available prevention and treatment services, rely on verified public health information, and reject stigma against people living with HIV.
“HIV remains preventable and manageable. With early diagnosis and sustained treatment, people living with HIV can live long, healthy, productive and fulfilling lives.”
Meanwhile, according to PUNCH NEWS an information officer at the Federal Ministry of Health said more information would be gathered before commenting on whether Lagos State’s interpretation of the HIV figures accurately reflects the findings of the federal report.
