The Lagos State Government has revealed that an estimated 160,000 residents are currently living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
The Lagos State AIDS Control Agency made this known during its World AIDS Day 2025 press briefing held on Thursday.
Presenting the state’s progress report before journalists at Alausa, Ikeja, the Chief Executive Officer of LSACA, Dr Folakemi Animashaun, said the figures reflect the latest estimates from January to September 2025.
“As of January to September 2025, Lagos State currently has an estimated 160,000 residents living with HIV, of whom 147,466 persons are on antiretroviral treatment,” she said.
Animashaun commended the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, noting that his support “strengthens both our health systems and community networks, ensuring that every effort to prevent, detect, and treat HIV is empowered and sustained.”
The year’s theme, “Overcoming Disruptions: Sustaining Nigeria’s HIV Response,” she said, mirrors the realities faced in Lagos, especially following the Stop Work Order issued by the United States Government, which disrupted community-level HIV interventions.
It was reported in March that the United States Government terminated its agreement with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, an innovative joint venture of the UN family which leads the global effort to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.
US President Donald Trump, earlier in January, issued an Executive Order called “Reevaluating and Realigning U.S. Foreign AID” which ordered a 90-day freeze of all foreign aid pending a review of assistance efforts to ensure alignment with current U.S. foreign policy.
According to Animashaun, the order significantly slowed testing and counselling activities.
“These pauses in community activities slowed essential interventions, limiting access to testing, counselling, and psychosocial support,” she said, warning that vulnerable groups felt the impact most.