The Lagos State Government has revealed that an estimated 160,000 residents are currently living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), underscoring both the scale of the public health challenge and the urgency of sustaining community-level interventions.
The disclosure was made by the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), during its World AIDS Day 2025 press briefing held on Thursday at Alausa, Ikeja. Presenting the state’s progress report, the Chief Executive Officer of LSACA, Dr. Folakemi Animashaun, explained that the estimate reflects the latest data collected between January and September 2025.
She commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his leadership and political will, noting that his administration’s commitment continues to “strengthen both our health systems and community networks, ensuring that every effort to prevent, detect, and treat HIV is empowered and sustained.”
Disruptions in HIV Response After U.S. Stop Work Order
This year’s World AIDS Day theme — “Overcoming Disruptions: Sustaining Nigeria’s HIV Response” — mirrors the reality in Lagos, particularly after the Stop Work Order issued by the United States Government, which significantly disrupted community-level HIV interventions.
Recall that the U.S. Government terminated its agreement with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The development followed an Executive Order issued in January by U.S. President Donald Trump, titled “Reevaluating and Realigning U.S. Foreign AID.”
The order imposed a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid while ongoing support programmes were reassessed for alignment with current U.S. foreign policy.
According to Dr. Animashaun, this halt had far-reaching implications.
“These pauses in community activities slowed essential interventions, limiting access to testing, counselling, and psychosocial support,” she said, adding that the most vulnerable groups felt the impact most deeply.
Testing Drops by Over 70%
The disruptions were evident in the drastic decline in HIV testing across Lagos.
During the reporting period (January–September 2025), LSACA conducted 222,415 HIV tests, representing only 28.9% of last year’s testing output.
Animashaun warned that such declines pose significant risks, stressing that the reduced testing rate “reinforces the need to sustain engagement, early testing, and strong community support.”
Despite these setbacks, community groups across Lagos demonstrated resilience, adapting operations and restoring essential services.
“Their unwavering commitment has allowed Lagos to regain lost momentum,” the LSACA boss said.
Statewide Testing Campaign Shows Promising Results
To counter the drop in testing, the state launched a Statewide Community HIV Testing Campaign on November 18, 2025.
So far, 9,943 residents have been tested, yielding a 2.0% positivity rate, with all positive individuals successfully linked to care.
Women have shown strong participation, especially in Ikorodu, Badagry, Ojo, and Mushin, a development Animashaun attributed to targeted market-based and community-cluster strategies.
“Positive cases have been identified across multiple LGAs, confirming that HIV remains a disease of public health concern in the state,” she added.
Fighting Stigma and Mobilising Communities
Beyond testing and treatment, LSACA has intensified its anti-stigma advocacy, noting that discrimination remains a major barrier to early diagnosis and adherence to treatment.
For this year’s World AIDS Day commemoration, the agency has lined up several activities, including:
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A Jumat service
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A novelty football match
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Church outreach
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An awareness walk
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A stakeholder symposium
These events aim to foster unity and deepen collective responsibility in combating HIV.
A Call to Action
As Lagos continues to navigate the ripple effects of international policy shifts and funding disruptions, the state government insists that community collaboration remains the cornerstone of progress.
“Together, we can sustain the HIV response for a healthier, stronger Lagos,” Dr. Animashaun said as she called on residents, stakeholders, and partners to renew their commitment to ending the HIV epidemic.
With 160,000 residents currently living with HIV and testing rates yet to return to previous levels, the Lagos State Government emphasises that vigilance, early testing, and community partnerships are essential to protecting public health and preventing new infections.
