Nigeria is set to introduce Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable drug for HIV prevention, following regulatory approval and procurement arrangements by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).
In a statement issued by its Head of Public Relations, Toyin Aderibigbe, the agency disclosed that the drug has secured clearance from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), paving the way for its rollout in the country.
Lenacapavir, administered twice yearly as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), is considered a major breakthrough due to its convenience compared to daily oral prevention pills.
Through voluntary licensing agreements with generic manufacturers, the medication is expected to be made available in Nigeria and 119 other low- and middle-income countries at an estimated cost of 40 dollars per person annually.
NACA said preparations for rollout are underway as part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to strengthen HIV prevention and fast-track progress toward ending the epidemic. Readiness and landscape assessments have already been completed in ten states; Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, the FCT, Gombe, Kano, Kwara and Lagos.
The agency noted that the first consignments of the drug are expected in March 2026.
Nigeria currently has about 1.9 million people living with HIV, with a national prevalence rate of 1.3 per cent among adults aged 15 to 49. The South-South region records the highest prevalence at 3.1 per cent, while women in the same age bracket are more than twice as likely to be living with HIV as men.
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