According to the 2024 HIV spectrum estimates published by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Rivers, Benue, and Akwa Ibom states lead among Nigerian states with the largest populations affected by HIV.
Rivers State tops the list with 208,767 reported cases, narrowly ahead of Benue State which has documented 202,346 instances. Akwa Ibom follows in third place with 161,597 cases.
The data show that over two million Nigerians are currently living with HIV, which highlights the urgency for continued investment in prevention, testing, and access to antiretroviral therapy.
In Lagos State, which serves as Nigeria’s economic powerhouse, 108,649 individuals are affected by HIV, ranking it at number four nationally. The state of Anambra comes next with 100,429 reported cases, whereas the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) reports 83,333 cases, making it among the highest counts within the north-central region.
Other states with significant prevalence rates include Delta (68,170), Imo (67,944), Enugu (61,028), Edo (60,095), and Taraba (58,460). In the middle tier are Abia (54,655), Kaduna (54,458), Kano (53,972), Plateau (51,736), Borno (50,433), and Oyo (50,063). Cross River, Ogun, and Nasarawa also fall within this bracket with 43,452, 43,348, and 44,993 cases respectively.
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In Adamawa, there were 40,059 reported cases, followed closely by Gombe with 31,825, Jigawa with 31,409, Osun with 30,714, and Niger with 29,756, which form part of the mid-to-lower segment. Additionally, Bauchi had 28,698 cases, Kogi recorded 28,421, Ondo noted 27,150, Katsina observed 26,788, and Bayelsa counted 25,339; these regions also fall into this classification.
The states with the fewest recorded cases are Kwara (20,259), followed by Kebbi (19,339), Ekiti (18,857), Sokoto (15,223), Ebonyi (14,151), Zamfara (13,253), and Yobe (11,956).
The estimates suggest that 43,683 individuals passed away because of HIV-related issues over the last year. Among them, 28,589 were adults, with 13,650 being males and 14,939 females. Additionally, the figures indicate that 15,094 children between the ages of 0 and 14 succumbed to HIV-associated conditions.
Up until now, 1,753,425 individuals in Nigeria who have HIV are aware of their condition. This total comprises 1,693,457 adults—comprised of 579,209 males and 1,114,401 females—and also includes 54,983 children between the ages of 0 and 14 years old.
The report indicates that access to treatment has notably increased, now serving 1,735,808 people who are undergoing antiretroviral therapy. Of these, 1,690,057 are adults—comprising 577,632 men and 1,112,425 women—and 45,751 are children between the ages of 0 and 14 years old.
Among those undergoing treatment, 1,160,256 people underwent testing for viral suppression, with 1,112,339 achieving this status. Specifically, 1,083,177 of them were adults—comprising 363,531 men and 719,645 women—and 29,162 were children.
Out of the expectant mothers studied, 93,186 required antiretroviral therapy to stop the passing of HIV from mother to child. Nonetheless, only 31,095 actually got the needed medication, highlighting a significant shortfall in preventive care services.
Regarding worries about potential medication shortages, the Director-General of NACA, Dr. Temitope Ilori, stated, “The Federal Executive Council sanctioned $1.07 billion to fund healthcare system improvements as part of the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity program. Moreover, an additional N4.8 billion was set aside for HIV treatments, and the Nigerian Senate has earmarked N300 billion for the health sector within next year’s budget.”
She pointed out that the funding efforts were intended to tackle deficiencies caused by the recent halt in United States aid.
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