FG to Roll Out Near-Preventive HIV Drug-Injectable Lenacapavir in 8 States

• 52,000 doses to be deployed under pilot phase

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The federal government will today (Tuesday) flag-off the deployment of Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable antiretroviral medication for prevention of HIV infection in eight states of the federation.

About 52,000 doses of the LEN has been provided to catalyse the introduction of LEN in the affected states for HIV prevention and control.

Lenacapavir is used to treat or prevent HIV infection. It is considered a major advancement in HIV care, reducing the need for daily medication and potentially increasing treatment adherence.

Speaking at the media sensitization on the introduction of Lenacapavir for pre-exposure Prophylaxis of HIV infection in Nigeria held on Monday in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said: “The Government of Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 through a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach that prioritizes the expansion of prevention, treatment, and care services, alongside strengthened domestic financing and the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV”.

He said that a National PrEP Implementation Plan (2025 – 2028) has been developed to provide a clear and coordinated roadmap for scaling up PrEP services across Nigeria.

The minister said that Anambra, Ebonyi, Gombe, Kwara, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Benue States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were selected for the rollout of LEN PrEP in country under the pilot scheme supported by the Global Fund.

He said that 52,000 doses of the LEN have been provided at subsidized cost to catalyse the introduction of LEN for HIV prevention and control.

According to Salako the National AIDS, Viral, Hepatitis, and STIS Control Programme (NASCP) is coordinating the implementation and development of the Lenacapavir rollout plan.

Salako explained the implementation is in three phases – planning, preparatory and implementation phases and will be carried out in Anambra, Ebonyi, Gombe, Kwara, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Benue States and FCT

In line with efforts to strengthen the national HIV response, Salako said the Ministry through NASCP is adopting innovative biomedical prevention options to improve HIV prevention outcomes.

He further said the introduction of long-acting injectable Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), will expand Nigeria’s HIV prevention toolkit and provide additional prevention options for individuals at substantial risk of HIV acquisition.

His words: “Following Nigeria’s expression of interest and in March 2025, and the approval of the ministry for the adoption of Lenacapavir (LEN PrEP) for HIV prevention, Nigeria was selected by the Global Fund as one of nine early adopter countries for the introduction of Lenacapavir starting in January 2026.

“About 52,000 doses of the LEN has been provided to catalyse the introduction of LEN in our armaments for HIV prevention and control.”

The minister said that Nigeria has made significant progress in reducing new HIV infections through the scale-up of HIV prevention programs.

He said that the introduction of Lenacapavir into the national HIV prevention program is expected to accelerate the reduction of new HIV infections, expand prevention coverage among populations at substantial risk Improve equity and access to prevention services.

He added the new intervention will offer a discreet and adherence-friendly prevention option, contribute to long-term program sustainability by averting new infections and reducing future treatment costs.

“Lenacapavir will complement existing HIV prevention options, including oral PrEP and long-acting injectable Cabotegravir (CAB-PrEP), thereby expanding prevention choices and enabling individuals to select prevention methods aligned with their preferences and risk profiles,” he said.

While giving an overview of Lenacapavir for PrEP Lenacapavir, Salako said it is a long-acting injectable antiretroviral medication used for HIV PrEP among HIV-negative individuals.

He also explained the medication is administered once every six months, making it a highly convenient prevention option, particularly for individuals who may experience challenges with adherence to daily oral PrEP.

“The introduction of Lenacapavir provides a number of programmatic advantages, including, High efficacy in reducing the risk of HIV acquisition.

“A biannual dosing schedule that improves adherence and convenience, a discreet prevention option for key and vulnerable populations, a safety profile comparable to existing oral PrEP options.

“These attributes make Lenacapavir particularly beneficial for key populations, vulnerable groups, and other individuals at high risk of HIV infection. Strategic Importance for Nigeria’s HIV Response,” the minister said.

While highlighting the advantages of the new HIV drug, the Director of Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Charles Nzelu said though Lenacapavir has potentials for reducing risk of HIV infection, the public must not engage in illicit behaviours believing that they are now immune to infections.

He said that the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is expected to monitor the deployment of Lenacapavir drug and to report on after effects if any.

“People should not say, I’ve now taken the drug, and then I have all the license or licenses to begin to indulge in risky behavior, please. This drug is not a substitute,” he said

Director Special Projects, Dr Aderonke Agbaje who represented the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria (IHVN), said the Institute is supporting the rollout of Len PrEP through a comprehensive, system-integrated approach working with national leadership under the Federal Ministry of Health and NASCP.

She said that key areas of support include; service delivery such as integrating Len PrEP into existing HIV prevention platforms.

Apart from capacity development, she said that IHVN also strengthens data systems and real-time feedback mechanisms, including tools like ClientShot, to track client experience.

In his remarks, NASCP National Coordinator, Dr. Adebobola Bashorun said that the roll-out of the Lenacapavir HIV drug is being implemented as a pilot project in 8 States but will be expanded to include other states in the country.

He also said that more doses of Lenacapavir will be deployed to any of the pilot states that needs more of it.

Highlighting unique application of the HIV drug, Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) Dr. Temitope Ilori said that pregnant women are expected to use the drug.