The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has announced that Nigeria will take delivery of Lenacapavir, a groundbreaking HIV prevention drug that demonstrated 100% effectiveness in clinical trials.
In a statement released on Monday, March 2, 2026, by NACA Head of Public Relations Toyin Aderibigbe, the agency confirmed it has secured regulatory approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Lenacapavir is an injectable PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) administered twice a year, offering a more convenient alternative to daily oral prevention medications.
The drug will be made available in Nigeria and 119 other low- and middle-income countries at an affordable price of $40 per person per year, thanks to voluntary licensing agreements with generic manufacturers.
“The Government of Nigeria is advancing preparations for the introduction and rollout of Lenacapavir as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). This is part of the government’s commitment to strengthen HIV prevention and accelerate progress toward epidemic control,” the statement read.
NACA highlighted key milestones achieved, including:
– Completion of landscape and readiness assessments across ten states: Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, FCT, Gombe, Kano, Kwara, and Lagos
– Regulatory approval by NAFDAC
“The commodities are expected in the country in March 2026,” NACA noted.
Nigeria currently has approximately 1.9 million people living with HIV, with a national prevalence of 1.3% among adults aged 15–49 years.
The country recorded 74,000 new HIV infections and 51,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2021.
The South-South zone has the highest prevalence at 3.1%, while women aged 15–49 are more than twice as likely to be living with HIV as men in the same age group.
