Nigeria is set to receive its first consignments of Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable drug for HIV prevention, this month, as the federal government moves to roll out the treatment across priority states nationwide.
The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) confirmed the development in a statement on Monday, saying the government is advancing preparations for the introduction and rollout of Lenacapavir as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), describing it as part of a broader commitment to strengthen HIV prevention and accelerate progress toward epidemic control.
Lenacapavir offers an alternative to daily oral pills, which have formed the backbone of HIV prevention for over a decade but have recorded limited uptake globally. Administered only twice a year, the injectable option is widely regarded as a more convenient approach for individuals at high risk of infection.
Regulatory approval has already been secured from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the country is on track for a phased rollout backed by trained personnel and community engagement strategies.
Landscape and readiness assessments have been completed in ten states, including Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Gombe, Kano, Kwara and Lagos, to evaluate service delivery capacity and identify implementation needs. A national training of trainers programme has also been conducted in Abuja, followed by step-down training for healthcare workers in the selected states.
Nigeria has approximately 1.9 million people living with HIV, with a national prevalence of 1.3 percent among adults aged 15 to 49. The country recorded 74,000 new HIV infections and 51,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2021, with the South-South zone recording the highest prevalence at 3.1 percent.
Lenacapavir was developed by Gilead Sciences and currently costs around $28,000 per person annually in the United States. Through partnerships involving Unitaid and the Gates Foundation, generic versions are expected to be made available at approximately $40 per year in low and middle income countries.
