Rivers overtakes Benue as the HIV capital of Nigeria
Rivers State leads the country with 208,767 people living with HIV, followed closely by Benue State (202,346) and Akwa Ibom (161,597), according to the latest spectrum estimates from the National Agency for the Control of AIDS.
Across Nigeria, more than two million individuals are currently living with HIV, underscoring the urgent need for sustained prevention, widespread testing, and reliable access to treatment.
Lagos, the nation’s commercial hub, ranks fourth with 108,649 recorded cases, while Anambra reports 100,429 and the Federal Capital Territory 83,333—one of the highest tallies in the north-central region. Other states in the high-prevalence bracket include Delta (68,170), Imo (67,944), Enugu (61,028), Edo (60,095) and Taraba (58,460).
Mid-range prevalence is seen in Abia (54,655), Kaduna (54,458), Kano (53,972), Plateau (51,736), Borno (50,433) and Oyo (50,063). At the lower end of the spectrum are Kwara (20,259), Kebbi (19,339), Ekiti (18,857), Sokoto (15,223), Ebonyi (14,151), Zamfara (13,253) and Yobe (11,956).
In the past year, an estimated 43,683 Nigerians died from HIV-related causes—28,589 adults (13,650 males and 14,939 females) and 15,094 children aged 0–14. Despite these tragic losses, 1,753,425 people living with HIV now know their status, including 1,693,457 adults (579,209 males and 1,114,401 females) and 54,983 children.
Treatment coverage has expanded significantly: 1,735,808 people are currently on antiretroviral therapy—1,690,057 adults (577,632 males and 1,112,425 females) and 45,751 children. Of those on treatment, 1,160,256 were tested for viral suppression, and 1,112,339 achieved a suppressed viral load, demonstrating the impact of scale-up efforts.
However, critical gaps remain in preventing mother-to-child transmission. Although 93,186 pregnant women were identified as needing ART, only 31,095 received it—highlighting a shortfall in reaching this vulnerable group.
Dr. Temitope Ilori, Director-General of NACA, reassured Nigerians that the Federal Government has mobilized resources to avert any drug shortages.
“The Federal Executive Council approved $1.07 billion for healthcare reform under the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity programme, alongside ₦4.8 billion for HIV treatment. The National Assembly also allocated ₦300 billion to the health sector in the 2025 budget,” she said. These measures, she added, are aimed at closing funding gaps and ensuring the sustainability of Nigeria’s HIV response
