Nigeria has officially launched a new National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (NSP) for 2026–2030, marking a significant shift from donor-supported interventions to a domestically financed and government-led response. The plan was presented on Thursday in Abuja amid declining external funding and growing calls for Nigeria to take greater ownership of its health system, particularly in sustaining long-term HIV interventions.
Critical Point for HIV Response
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Temitope Ilori, emphasized that Nigeria's HIV response has reached a critical juncture requiring a strategic reset. She noted that while the country has made significant progress over the past two decades—including reductions in new infections and improved treatment access—changing global and financial conditions demand a new approach.
Ms. Ilori explained that the new strategic plan represents a recalibration rather than a replacement of the existing framework. It aligns Nigeria's response with emerging evidence and global priorities. “This new Strategic Plan reflects lessons learned from implementation, new evidence from the National HIV Estimates, and the need to reposition the response in a rapidly changing global environment,” she said.
Shift to Domestic Ownership
Ms. Ilori stated that declining external funding and fragmented programme structures have made it necessary for Nigeria to adopt a government-led and government-owned response model. The NSP prioritizes the integration of HIV services into national systems across sectors, including health, education, youth development, gender, and justice. She added that the plan was developed through extensive consultations involving government institutions, civil society organizations, development partners, private sector actors, and community networks. “This Strategic Plan calls on all stakeholders to renew their commitment and work collectively to achieve a resilient, equitable, and sustainable HIV response for Nigeria,” she said.
Framework and Current Realities
Presenting the framework, NACA's Deputy Director of Policy, Planning and Coordination, Mariam Ezekwe, said Nigeria's HIV response has reached a decisive point. The country has made substantial gains in reducing infections and expanding access to treatment, but the next phase must focus on sustainability and stronger system integration. She outlined current realities, including a 52% reduction in new infections since 2010 and about 80% of people living with HIV/AIDS knowing their status in 2025. “These are the latest data from the Spectrum estimate. And currently we have an estimated 1,985,284 people living with HIV/AIDS,” she said. She added that the NSP prioritizes legislative financing, health insurance expansion, and integration of HIV services into primary healthcare systems.
Private Sector and Faith Groups Seek Deeper Integration
During a panel discussion on domestic financing and sustainability, stakeholders called for stronger private sector participation, expanded insurance coverage, and formal integration of faith-based organizations into the national response. Representing the Nigeria Business Coalition Against AIDS (NIBUCCA), Opeyemi Yekini said private sector actors should be treated as co-owners of the HIV response rather than mere contributors. He noted that businesses increasingly recognize that workforce health directly affects productivity and economic stability.
Executive Secretary of the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), Tajudeen Ibrahim, said Nigeria's transition strategy extends beyond enrolling people living with HIV into health insurance schemes. It includes strengthening systems capable of sustaining HIV financing after donor support declines. He said governments at different levels are already committing resources to HIV programmes, but weak tracking and reporting mechanisms make it difficult to determine the full extent and impact of domestic investments. Strengthening financial accountability and visibility would be essential to demonstrating country ownership and ensuring efficient resource use. “There are several mechanisms that we are currently using to fund health, and these mechanisms need to be properly tracked. As part of Global Fund support to the country, we are investing in strengthening our public financial management system,” he said.
Emmanuel Okechukwu, co-chair of the Nigeria Interfaith Coalition on AIDS (NIFCOB-AIDS), called for the formal integration of faith-based organizations into the national HIV response framework. He said faith institutions have long played a central role in providing care and social support, particularly at the community level. “The faith-based community is asking for integration, both in policy and programming. If you want to attain universal health coverage, you must go to the people who are in the grassroots to provide the healthcare communities require,” he said.
System Integration by 2030
The NSP 2026–2030 outlines a long-term goal of eliminating parallel HIV programmes and embedding interventions within routine government systems. NACA said implementation of the plan will increasingly rely on domestic financing, strengthened health insurance systems, digital health expansion, and coordinated multisectoral accountability mechanisms. By 2030, Nigeria aims to sustain HIV control through integrated systems fully owned and financed at national and subnational levels.
