Nigeria recorded 102,025 new HIV infections in 2025, and medical experts say donor funding cuts, rising poverty and weaker awareness campaigns are driving the increase.
Doctors Link Rising Cases to Poverty, Funding Cuts
Medical doctors have warned that Nigeria risks losing years of progress against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) unless the government boosts local funding and expands prevention efforts.
According to data from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s State of the Health of the Nation Report 2025, the country recorded 102,025 new HIV infections across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in 2025.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says HIV has no cure. Doctors treat the virus with antiretroviral drugs that stop it from multiplying in the body.
Nigeria has about two million people living with HIV/AIDS, based on 2024-2025 estimates from the National Agency for the Control of AIDS and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. More than 1.7 million people currently receive antiretroviral therapy, making Nigeria the country with the world’s second-highest HIV burden.
US Aid Cuts Deepen HIV Response Challenges
However, experts said Nigeria’s HIV response suffered a major setback after the United States reduced foreign aid following Donald Trump’s return to office as the 47th US president on January 20.
Under the new policy, the US government stopped funding the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the global HIV programme launched in 2003.
Consequently, many HIV services in Nigeria now face serious pressure. Testing, counselling, community education and support programmes have slowed because the country depends heavily on donor funding.
Furthermore, hospitals have reported shortages of HIV test kits. People living with HIV have also complained about the rationing of life-saving antiretroviral drugs.
Although the Federal Government approved N4.8bn for 150,000 HIV treatment packs and added $200m to the health budget, experts said the funding gap still affects HIV services across the country.
Poverty Increases Risk of HIV Transmission
Speaking exclusively to PUNCH Healthwise, Tuberculosis and HIV specialist Dr Dan Onwujekwe identified poverty as one of the biggest drivers of new HIV infections.
He said poverty affects people’s ability to protect themselves from infection and pushes many Nigerians to seek treatment in unregistered health facilities, especially in rural communities.
According to him, many of those facilities operate without proper infection control. He warned that poor sterilisation of medical equipment could expose patients to HIV and other infections.
Onwujekwe also raised concerns about unsafe practices such as washing and reusing syringes and needles. He added that the use of sharp instruments in barber shops, hairdressing salons and beauty parlours also carries an unmeasured risk.
Fewer Awareness Campaigns Raise Concerns
However, Onwujekwe said funding cuts have also weakened HIV prevention campaigns across the country.
He explained that governments and donors often reduce preventive health programmes first whenever funding falls. According to him, the reported 102,025 new infections may represent only a small part of Nigeria’s actual HIV burden.
Despite the challenges, he believes Nigeria can still meet the 95-95-95 HIV targets by 2030 if authorities redirect resources and strengthen prevention efforts.
The global target aims to ensure that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed receive sustained treatment, and 95 per cent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression by 2030.
Furthermore, Onwujekwe urged the government to end HIV-related stigma and stop discrimination against people living with the virus, especially during employment.
He said removing stigma would encourage more Nigerians to get tested, seek treatment early and support national HIV control efforts.
Researcher Urges More Local Funding
Meanwhile, HIV researcher Dr Sule Abdullahi, an associate professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, also blamed donor funding cuts and declining public awareness for the rise in infections.
He said the 2025 policy changes in the United States disrupted HIV testing, treatment and prevention activities across Nigeria.
According to Abdullahi, interruptions in antiretroviral drug supplies could increase patients’ viral loads, making HIV transmission more likely.
He also noted that HIV awareness campaigns have declined because attention has shifted to other diseases.
Consequently, he urged the Federal Government to provide enough domestic funding to replace lost donor support.
He warned that without adequate funding, Nigeria could continue to record fewer HIV tests, interruptions in treatment and weaker prevention campaigns.
On the 95-95-95 targets, Abdullahi said reaching them by 2030 would be difficult. However, he believes Nigeria can move close to the target if the government commits enough resources.
He also advised Nigerians to continue practising safer sex by using condoms, remaining faithful to one partner where appropriate or abstaining from sex to reduce the risk of HIV infection.
External Links
- World Health Organization HIV Fact Sheet: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids
- National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA): https://naca.gov.ng
- UNAIDS Nigeria Country Data: https://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/nigeria
