LAGOS — The Lagos State Government has dismissed reports claiming the state recorded 10,430 new HIV infections in 2025, clarifying that the figure refers to newly diagnosed HIV-positive cases rather than individuals who became newly infected during the year.
The clarification was made on Thursday by the Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), Dr. Folakemi Animashaun, during a media briefing at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Lagos.
According to Animashaun, the widely circulated figure has been misunderstood, creating unnecessary concern among residents.
She explained that the reported 10,430 cases represent people who were diagnosed with HIV during the reporting period. Many of these individuals may have contracted the virus years earlier but only recently underwent testing and received confirmation of their status.
“The number being reported refers to newly diagnosed HIV-positive cases and should not be interpreted as new infections recorded within the year. These are two completely different public health indicators,” she said.
Animashaun noted that Lagos, being Nigeria’s most populous state and a major healthcare referral centre, naturally records a higher number of HIV tests and diagnoses than many other states. She said the state’s advanced healthcare system attracts patients from different parts of the country, contributing to the higher number of confirmed cases.
She added that stronger surveillance systems and improved access to testing services increase case detection and should not be mistaken for evidence that HIV transmission is worsening.
Providing an update on the state’s HIV response, the LSACA boss disclosed that Lagos conducted 504,800 HIV tests in 2025, during which 11,940 people tested positive, representing a positivity rate of 2.4 per cent.
She further revealed that during the first quarter of 2026, the state carried out 179,229 HIV tests, identifying 3,390 positive cases, while the positivity rate declined to 1.9 per cent.
According to her, the reduction in the positivity rate despite increased testing demonstrates significant progress in controlling the epidemic.
Animashaun also announced that 147,904 people are currently receiving antiretroviral therapy in Lagos, with about 97 per cent achieving viral suppression, a level she described as one of the strongest treatment outcomes in Nigeria.
On the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, she said Lagos has continued to record encouraging improvements, noting that the positivity rate among infants tested early after birth declined from 5.1 per cent in 2020 to 1.5 per cent in 2025.
In a landmark development, the Lagos State Government has commenced the direct procurement of antiretroviral (ARV) medicines, becoming the first state government in Nigeria to independently fund and procure HIV treatment drugs.
Animashaun disclosed that the first batch of state-funded ARVs is expected to arrive before the end of August 2026.
She explained that the initiative is aimed at ensuring uninterrupted access to HIV treatment, reducing dependence on donor-funded programmes, and strengthening the state’s healthcare system amid changing global health financing.
She added that Lagos is also exploring the local production of HIV commodities in collaboration with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), while studying successful models adopted by countries such as Kenya to improve supply chain resilience.
Appealing to residents, Animashaun urged the public not to panic but to continue taking advantage of available HIV testing, prevention and treatment services.
She encouraged residents to know their HIV status, rely on verified public health information, and reject every form of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.
She stressed that HIV remains both preventable and manageable, emphasizing that early diagnosis and consistent treatment enable people living with the virus to lead healthy and productive lives.
She concluded by reaffirming the state’s commitment to strengthening its HIV response, saying Lagos should be recognised not by the number of people tested, but by the effectiveness of its public health interventions.
Lagos Debunks Reports of 10,430 New HIV Infections, Begins Direct Procurement of HIV Drugs
