KEY POINTS

• Lenacapavir rollout in Nigeria follows NAFDAC approval.
  
• Drug is administered twice yearly as HIV prevention.
  
• First shipments expected in March 2026.

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS said Nigeria will soon receive Lenacapavir, an injectable HIV prevention drug that demonstrated 100 percent effectiveness in preventing infection during clinical trials.

In a statement on Monday, NACA’s Head of Public Relations, Toyin Aderibigbe, said the agency has obtained regulatory approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, clearing the way for introduction of the medicine.

Lenacapavir is administered twice yearly, while offering an alternative to daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis regimens.

Lenacapavir Rollout in Nigeria

According to NACA, Nigeria is advancing preparations for the rollout of Lenacapavir as pre-exposure prophylaxis as part of efforts to accelerate progress toward HIV epidemic control.

“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,” the statement said.

While the company expects to make the drug available at an annual cost of about $40 per person in Nigeria and 119 other low- and middle-income countries under voluntary licensing agreements with generic manufacturers.

NACA further said it has completed readiness and landscape assessments in 10 states: Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, the Federal Capital Territory, Gombe, Kano, Kwara and Lagos.

The agency therefore added that it expects the first shipments of Lenacapavir to arrive in March 2026.

HIV Burden and Prevention Strategy

Furthermore, Nigeria has an estimated 1.9 million people living with HIV, with a national prevalence rate of 1.3 percent among adults aged 15 to 49. In 2021, the country recorded 74,000 new infections and also 51,000 AIDS-related deaths.

The South-South region has the highest prevalence at 3.1 percent, and women aged 15 to 49 are more than twice as likely to be living with HIV as men.

Health authorities say the Lenacapavir rollout in Nigeria could expand prevention options, particularly for populations that face challenges adhering to daily medication.