The Lagos State Government has announced that it will become the first sub-national government in Nigeria to independently procure antiretroviral medicines for people living with HIV, with the first shipment expected to arrive before the end of August.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency, Folakemi Animashaun, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja. She also clarified recent reports by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare that ranked Lagos as the state with the highest number of new HIV infections in Nigeria.
Mrs Animashaun described the procurement of HIV medicines as a major milestone aimed at reducing dependence on international donors while guaranteeing uninterrupted access to life-saving treatment.
“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.
“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,” she said.
State strengthens HIV treatment programme
Mrs Animashaun said the initiative reflects the commitment of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to sustaining HIV treatment regardless of changes in donor funding.
She added that the state is also collaborating with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to explore local production of antiretroviral medicines using global best practices, including lessons from Kenya’s pharmaceutical and health commodity management system.
According to her, local production would strengthen supply chains, reduce long-term treatment costs and improve access to HIV medicines.
LASG clarifies HIV infection figures
Mrs Animashaun challenged widespread interpretations of 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 HIV-positive cases.
She explained that the figure represents newly diagnosed HIV-positive cases rather than people who newly contracted the virus during the year.
“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.
“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,” Mrs Animashaun said.
She noted that many of those captured in the figure may have contracted HIV years earlier but were only recently tested, while others may have travelled to Lagos from different states for diagnosis or treatment.
Treatment success and response plan
Mrs Animashaun said Lagos conducted 504,800 HIV tests in 2025, identifying 11,940 positive cases, representing a positivity rate of 2.4 per cent.
She added that the state carried out 179,229 HIV tests during the first quarter of 2026, identifying 3,390 positive cases with a lower positivity rate of 1.9 per cent.
According to her, 147,904 people were receiving antiretroviral treatment across Lagos as of 2025, with 97 per cent achieving viral suppression.
She also disclosed that Lagos has commenced an HIV Response Acceleration Plan covering all 20 local government areas and 57 local council development areas between July and September 2026.
The programme includes expanded HIV testing, improved treatment retention, enhanced community prevention initiatives and the rollout of oral and long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis.
Mrs Animashaun urged residents not to panic and encouraged regular HIV testing, access to treatment services and the rejection of stigma and discrimination.
She emphasised that HIV remains preventable and manageable, noting that early diagnosis and sustained treatment enable people living with HIV to live healthy and productive lives.
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