New HIV Prevention Drug Lenacapavir Arriving in Nigeria

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that a new HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir, will arrive in the country in March 2026. The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) disclosed this development in a statement on Monday, emphasizing its commitment to accelerating progress toward HIV epidemic control.

Lenacapavir is a long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option that is administered twice a year and has been found to significantly reduce the risk of HIV infection, providing almost total protection. NACA is coordinating efforts to ensure a structured quality assurance rollout of this new prevention option, prioritizing states for the introduction of lenacapavir.

The agency has achieved regulatory approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and is currently assessing readiness in ten states, including Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, FCT, Gombe, Kano, Kwara, and Lagos. NACA plans to conduct national training for trainers in Abuja, followed by step-down training for healthcare workers in selected states.